Hematoxylin is a naturally occurring chemical used as the basis of a dye in laboratories throughout the world to stain nuclei in microscope slide preparations. This chemical is extracted from the logwood tree Hematoxylon campechianum and was discovered by Spanish explorers to the Yucatan in 1502. A vigorous trade soon developed related to growing and preparing hematoxylin for use in dyeing fabrics in Europe. In the mid 1800s, amateur microscopists first used hematoxylin to stain cellular components. Later scientists developed a wide range of techniques to demonstrate different cellular components. Hematoxylin remains the most popular nuclear stain in histology. This paper briefly describes the history of hematoxylin production and use in histology.
Many of the time-honored methods for histopathological analysis of tissue sections have been superseded by new histological techniques, immunohistochemistry, or other diagnostic tests. Some of the dyes that were used for generations are no longer available, and chemicals used in some older methods are now considered hazardous. Additionally, the histotechnologists and pathologists familiar with these techniques are now retiring and leaving the field, resulting in a loss of experience. To provide a sense of the rich legacy of histopathological analysis, this article reviews the development of special stains in histopathology, describes staining techniques, and discusses the wide range of applications. Numerous staining techniques mentioned in this article were originally published many years ago, some in obscure journals in foreign countries, and are not readily available to practicing histotechnologists. To encourage further study, references in English are given, many to popular histotechnology texts found in most histopathology laboratories or biomedical libraries. ( The J Histotechnol 32(1):9-
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