hi all,

I have recently struck a strange staining artefact where the tissue has patches where the haematoxylin doesn't seem to have been taken up.  The size seems to vary from a dozen or so cells across to 10 or more times that size.  The eosin staining appears to be normal in these areas.  Nothing should have changed in our staining protocol, but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions.

My thought so far are:  hot plates too hot, contaminated xylene, 95 and 100% alcohols transposed, dud batch of haematoxylin (long shot).

Can anyone help?

Cheers,
Aidan


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aidan schurr  b.m.l.sc
section head, histology
hutt valley district health board
lower hutt
new zealand

aidan.schurr@hvh.co.nz
++64 4 570 9173