Does anyone know why a PAP stain procedure would start staining cells orange
which used to be staining blue - specifically Type II epithelium cells from
lung epithelial cytospins?  

We are trying to figure out what has changed with our routine staining
procedure.  Typically the Type II cells stain a nice light blue with purple
granules.  Now for some reason, they are staining what is being termed as a
"nice suede color" - kinda orange brown.  If you look real carefully, you
the granules of the Type II cells are still staining purple, but the rest of
the cell is orange now instead of blue.  Apparently the tech doing the
staining has bought all new reagents and we don't know what is going wrong
this time.  Any suggestions/advice?

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Catherine "Katie" Bresee Bennett
Sr. Technical Associate
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
Albuquerque, New Mexico