De-staining and re-staining mucins in formalin fixed paraffin sections

Abstract

Re-staining of formalin fixed paraffin sections sometimes is required and this requires prior de-staining. Some simple and effective protocols for de-staining are described. Mucihematoxylin and mucicarmine can be removed with acid alcohol. Zirconyl hematoxylin can be removed with periodic acid or Sinha's fixative. Alcian blue can be removed with 5% trifluoroacetic acid in dichloromethane. Colloidal iron can be bleached in 1% household bleach in alcohol. PAS can be removed with hydrogen peroxide or ammonium hydroxide. With few exceptions, de-stained sections can be re-stained with mucihematoxylin, PAS or Gabe's trichrome.

Key words::

• Alcian blue
• bleaching
• colloidal iron
• destaining
• mucicarmine
• mucihematein
• mucin
• mucous
• PAS
• zirconyl hematoxylin

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine for supporting this work. The authors have no financial interest in this work.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.