The method is Hale's colloidal iron stain for acid mucins, I presume.  It
differs from other colloidal iron methods in that it uses a more difficult
to prepare colloidal iron solution (that of Rhinehart and Ab'ul Haj),
involving preparation of an ammoniacal ferric chloride colloidal solution
which is dialysed against distilled water for several days.  It is easier to
buy the solution as it is really tedious to prepare.  The method gives a
slightly cleaner background than the alternative technique, but otherwise is
much the same.

It is detailed in Bancroft & Stevens (Theory and Practice of Histological
Techniques).

Bryan Llewellyn


-----Original Message-----
From: Weems, Joyce <JWEEMS@sjha.org>
To: 'Histonet' <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Date: December 7, 1998 2:44 PM
Subject: Hale's Stain


>Hey you wonderful people!!!
>Is anyone familiar with Hale's stain for colloidal iron? It is supposed
>to very specific to chromophobe cell renal ca and is mentioned in an
>article in Virchow's Archives, 48, 1985.
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>Joyce - Happy Holidays!!!
>
>