Re: Prussian Blue rxn in bone, no postive rxn.

From:Lee & Peggy Wenk

Here's another thought.

The HTL practical exam bone requirement is cortex and hematopoietic marrow.

Are you certain you have hematopoietic marrow - RBC, WBC, etc. This is where the iron stores are found.

Many times, people attempting this for the HTL exam are using femur heads from hip replacements. The marrow on these have been replaced with fat, and there is no iron in fatty replacement.

So - it's up to the HTL candidate to know/learn what bones in the adult are hematopoietic, and what hematopoietic marrow looks like. Ask your pathologist or consult an atlas.

Peggy Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: LMHAMILTON1@aol.com 
  To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu 
  Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2002 7:15 PM
  Subject: Prussian Blue rxn in bone, no postive rxn.


  Hello, 

  I am currently working on my HTL designation. One of the requested specimens for my practical is bone with the cortex and marrow. The bone is to be stained for iron with a Prussian blue reaction. 

  I have tried many different bone specimens using the Perls method with no positive reaction, but the control (liver) is positive. One specimen the pathologist believed he saw hemosiderin in the H&E, but with the Perls again being negative. :( 
  All of the glass ware was chemically clean. I used 10% Potassium Ferrocyanide and 10% HCL all fresh. I initially tried 5 minutes in Potassium Ferrocyanide and then 10 minutes with no results. I have used slow decal (formical) and overnight decal. Is the acid content in these products causing the loss of iron? 
  All of the specimens are animal (dog and min-pigs) . Would human bone exhibit more iron? 
  I would appreciate any suggestions to changes in processing or staining methods. 

  Loriann Hamilton 
  HistoTechniques 
  Powell, Ohio 



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