Hematoxylin and eosin staining of mucins of the gastrointestinal tract

Figures & data

Table 1 Composition of modified Gill’s hematoxylin solutions

	Gill A	Gill B
Solution A
Distilled water	750 ml	770 ml
Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol)	210 ml	210 ml
Glacial acetic acid	20 ml
Aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3·18H2O)	17.6 g	4.4 g
Sodium iodate (NaIO3)	0.2 g	0.2 g
Solution B for both Gill’s A and Gill’s B
Propylene glycol	100 ml
Hematoxylin CI 75290	10 g

Table 2 Composition of cytoplasmic counterstains

Eosin-phloxine counterstain
Absolute alcohol	390 ml
1% aqueous eosin Y (CI 45380)	50 ml
1% aqueous phloxine (CI 45410)	5 ml
Distilled water	97 ml
Glacial acetic acid	2 ml
Eosin-erythrosin counterstain
Eosin Y (CI 45380)	5 g
Erythrosin B (CI 45430)	5 g
Sodium hydrogen carbonate	1.25 g
Magnesium sulfate	10 g
Distilled water	500 ml

Table 3 Mucin staining results

Site	Total	Gill’s A*	Gill’s B*	CB*	AB-PAS
					Blue	Red
Stomach	6	0	0	0	0	6
Duodenum	7	1	7	1	7	0
Appendix	5	0	5	2	5	0
Rectum	6	0	6	4	6	0
Lung	2	0	0	0	0	2

* Blue-stained mucin.

Figure 1 Stomach biopsy stained with Gill’s B hematoxylin and eosin–phloxine, ×40. Mucin is unstained.

Figure 2 Duodenal biopsy stained with Gill’s B hematoxylin and eosin–phloxine, ×40. Mucin is stained blue.

Figure 3 Rectal biopsy stained with Gill’s B hematoxylin and eosin–phloxine, ×40. Mucin is stained blue.

Figure 4 Rectal biopsy stained with iron alum celestine blue and eosin-erythrosin, x40. Mucin is stained blue.

Figure 5 Stomach biopsy stained with AB–PAS, ×40. Mucin is pink–red.

Figure 6 Duodenal biopsy stained with AB–PAS, ×40. The goblet cell mucin is stained blue. There is also pink–red-colored neutral mucin present. The mucin in the goblet cells is a mixture of neutral and acidic mucins giving a bluish purple color.

Figure 7 Rectal biopsy stained with AB-PAS, ×40. Mucin is stained blue. There is little neutral mucin present, so the mucin is more of a sky blue compared to color found in the duodenum.