definition
Trichrome staining is a process that involves staining combinations that usually contain three dyes of contrasting colours selected to stain connective tissue, muscle, cytoplasm and nuclei in bright colours[1].
INVENTION
The English pathologist Heneage Gibbes invented[2] the trichrome staining process in 1880 after experimenting with various histological stains. Here is the trichrome staining (which he called “treble staining”) method he describes in his 1880 publication:
- He first stained the histologic sections with picrocarmine and soaked them in acidulated water.
- He then took a roseine solution and diluted it with alcohol and then immersed the same sections in the solution for 2-3 minutes.
- Then, he removed the sections and poured denatured alcohol on them to wash off the excess dye.
- He then placed the sections in a diluted solution of iodine green, after which they were ready for viewing once removed.
On the application of this “treble stain” to histologic sections, he states[2], “This staining process is well shown in a section of the base of a cat or dog’s tongue, cut through one of the circumvallate papillae, the section should be sufficiently large to include some of the mucous glands, of which there are a large number in that region. If the staining is well done it will show all the muscle fibres stained with picro-carmine, the connective tissue, protoplasm of cells, &c., stained with rosein; while all the nuclei in the superficial epithelium, serous glands, non-striped muscle tissue in the vessels, and elsewhere, are stained a brilliant green.” Here is a photomicrograph[3] of a section of a rat’s airway stained with Masson’s trichrome (nuclei are stained dark red/purple, cytoplasm is stained red/pink and connective tissue is stained blue):
[ux_image_box img=”1547″ image_width=”60″ link=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masson%27s_trichrome_stain” target=”_blank”]
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inventor
Here is a photograph[4] of Heneage Gibbes:
[ux_image_box img=”1550″ image_width=”30″ link=”https://kingscollections.org/victorianlives/g-i/heneage-gibbes-heneage” target=”_blank”]
1837-1912
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