Donna,
you can show Sharpey's fibers in bone as lighter areas just using a standard
van Gieson stain and closing down the condenser diaphragm to improve the
contrast. I think that any good trichrome which gives strong staining should
be able to show these.We have found that the best method to show these in bone
and cementum is Heidenhain's Azan stain and then viewing using a green filter.

Barry

MontagueDonnaC@exchange.uams.edu wrote:

> Russ or others who may know the answer(s):
>
> Do you have a favourite staining procedure to display Sharpey fibers?
> Do you have an opinion as to whether decalcified or undecalcified
> bone/tendon interfaces should be used?
> I'd rather not go the SEM route, is it possible to avoid?
>
> Thanks in advance, Donna Montague, UAMS Orthopaedic Research, Little Rock,
> AR, USA