Verhoffs Van Geison
EMS Catalog #: 26374-Series
Fixation:
Any common well-fixed tissue – 10% Buffered Neutral Formalin (#15741-01) or Russell’s Zenker (#64123-05) is preferred.
Sections:
5µm sections.
Staining Procedures:
- Hydrate slides to distilled water.
- Stain in Verhoff’s Working Solution* for 1 hours. Tissue should be completely black. Depth of stain required for the elastic fibers. (Nuclei may be stained in Weigert Iron)
* To prepare Verhoff’s Working Solution, add in order the following reagents – prepare fresh! :
Alcoholic Hematoxylin, 5% (#26374-01) - 20 ml
Ferric Chloride, 10% (#26374-02) - 8 ml
Weigert’s Iodine Solution (#26374-03) - 8 ml
Mix well, solution should be jet black. Used immediately.
At the conclusion of staining time, pour off the Verhoff mixture into a container and save it until after the differentiation process has been properly completed. If it should prove necessary, the saved solution may be used.
- Rinse in tap water with 2 or 3 changes.
- Differentiate in Ferric Chloride, 2% (#26374-04). Agitate Slide gently during the process. Stop differentiation with several changes of tap water and check microscopically for black elastic fiber staining and gray background. Repeat Ferric Chloride, 2% treatment and tap water rinses as necessary for adequate demonstration. Kidney and myometrium are good controls. If the elastic fiber staining is too pale, re-stain in the saved Verhoffs solution for 30 minutes and then proceed with the subsequent Van Gieson counterstain can extract the elastic stain somewhat.
- Wash slides in tap water.
- Treat with Sodium Thiosulfate, 5% (#26374-05) for 1 minute. Discard solution.
- Wash in running tap water for 5 minutes
- Counterstain in Van Gieson Solution (#26374-06) for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Dehydrate, clear in Xylene and coverslip, using a synthetic mounting medium.
Stain Results:
Elastic Fibers |
Blue-black to Black. Fine elastic fibrils may not be stained with this methods |
Nuclei |
Blue to Black |
Collagen |
Red |
Other Tissue Elements |
Yellow |
References:
Sheehan, Dezna C., Hrapchack, Barbara B. Theory and Practice of Histotechnology, 2nd ed. The C.V. Mosby Company, St Louis, p. 196 – 197. c. 1980.
Product Information
Verhoffs Van Geison