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United States Government Work, uncopyrighted, public-domain,
DRAFT COPY ONLY. This document does not necessarily represent the views
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PRINCIPLE OF THE TEST.
To stain paraffinized tissue sections for fungi and Pneumocystis organisms,
required in the diagnosis of certain diseases encountered
in anatomic pathology.
SPECIMEN REQUIRED.
All human tissue excised at surgery, outpatient clinics,
and postmortems, fresh or in fixative, along with a filled-out
Tissue Examination Form
(U. S. Standard Form 515, USSF515).
REAGENTS, INSTRUMENTATION.
4% chromatic acid.
Microwave oven.
Sodium bisulfite solution.
Methenamine silver solution.
Gold chloride solution.
Sodium thiosulfate solution.
Xylene substitute.
STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION.
1. Hydrate slides to distilled water.
2. Place in 4% chromatic acid for 20 seconds in the microwave.
3. Wash in running tap water for about one minute.
4. Sodium bisulfite for one minute.
5. Wash in running tap water.
6. Wash in distilled water.
7. Place slides in methenamine silver solution
for one minute in the microwave oven.
8. The slides sit in silver solution until the desired color
is obtained.
9. Wash in distilled water.
10. Gold chloride for 1 minute or until slides turn a greyish color.
11. Wash in water.
12. Sodium thiosulfate for 1 minute.
13. Wash in water.
14. Counterstain in light green for about 1 minute,
and wash in water and dehydrate and clear in xylene substitute.
REFERENCES.
1. Chan K-K, Lowe J.
Techniques in Neuropathology. Chapter 18, pp. 371-414.
In: Bancroft JD, Gamble M.
Theory and Practice of Histological Techniques. Fifth Edition.
Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. 2002;:371-414.
ISBN 0-443-06435-0, 796 pages.
2. Gomori G.
Silver impregnation of reticulum in paraffin sections.
Am J Physiol. 1937;13:993.
3. Bielschowsky M.
Die Silberimprägnation der Axenzylinder.
[German: Silver impregnation of axon cylinders].
Zentralbl f Neurol. 1902;21:579.
4. Holmes W.
Silver Staining of nerve axons in paraffin sections.
Anat Rec. 1943;86:157-187.
5. Holzer W.
Über eine neue Methode der Gliafasernfärbung.
[German: Regarding a new method of glial fiber staining].
Zentralbl f d gesamt Neurol u Psychiatr. 1921;69:354-360.
6. Zon L.
The physical chemistry of silver staining.
Stain Technol. 1936;11:53-67.
7. Prophet EB, Mills B, Arrington JB, Sobin LH, eds.
Laboratory Methods in Histotechnology.
Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. 1992;:.
ISBN 1-881041-00-X, 278 pages.
8. Mikel UV, ed.
Advanced Laboratory Methods in Histology and Pathology.
Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. 1994;:.
ISBN 1-881041-13-1, 254 pages.