The MSB is a trichrome stain and depends on the same principle as other
trichrome stains.  The colour differentiation between tissue components is
due to several factors, but the method basically stains basic proteins.
Read all the pages about trichromes on StainsFile (http://stainsfile.info)
for a detailed explanation.  As far as I know, the methods published by
Professor Lendrum and his co-workers are empirical in nature and were not
designed to give information any more detailed than the fibrin being fresh,
middle aged or old with varying degrees of certainty.  There are several
stains that were published to give clearer demonstration at the various
stages, with the MSB being a "middle of the road" technique.  For the kind
of information that your friend is wanting, I suggest that modern
immunological methods would be more useful.

For more information, refer to what used to be the definitive paper on the
subject: -

Studies on the character and staining of fibrin,
Lendrum, A.C., Fraser, D.S., Slidders, W., and Henderson, R. (1962)
Journal of Clinical Pathology, vol. 15, p. 401

Bryan Llewellyn


----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarka Lhotak" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 12:33 PM
Subject: Martius scarlet blue stain for fibrin (fwd)


> Heelo Netters,
> I am reposting this message hoping that this time somebody will
> notice it and will be able to help us (John Kiernan, Brian Hewlett???).
> Thanks a lot,
> Sarka
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 15:12:33 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Sarka Lhotak 
> To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: Martius scarlet blue stain for fibrin
>
> Hello Netters,
> I am posting this for a friend, Filip Konecny. Please reply either
> to the list or directly to him : fkonecny@thrombosis.hhscr.org.
>
>
> According to Buk SJ, Stain Technol. 1984;59(1):1-5, the Martius scarlet
> blue trichrome (MSB) stains selectively for fresh, mature and old fibrin
> (ranging from orange through red to blue). During the fibrin maturation
> its structure is changing by polymerization and crosslinking. Would
> anybody know how do the different MSB colours correspond to the actual
> stages of fibrin polymerization and crosslinking?
> In my experiment I use lytic agents in-vivo to partially
> dissolve fibrin thrombi. Would the fibrin degradation products be
> stained and what colour with the MSB stain? Can one resolve newly
> self-assembled lytic fragments?
> What is being stained by MSB so that it can reflect the process of
> fibrin maturation?
> Any input is greatly appreciated.
> Sincerely,
>
> Filip Konecny
> Henderson Research Centre
> McMaster University
> Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
>
>
>
>
>