A simple polychrome stain for conventionally fixed Epon-embedded tissues.

The described technique, based upon a one-step Mallory-Heidenhain stain, can be applied as a routine stain for glutaraldehyde or OsO4 fixed, Epon embedded tissues of various organs. The technique consists of a short treatment of the sections with H2O2, a nuclear staining with celestine blue B and a final staining in a modified Cason's solution. The different tissue and cell components are displayed as follows: dark brown nuclei, yellow cytoplasm, red collagen fibers and blue elastic fibers. Intracytoplasmic components as glycogen and mucus are stained respectively blue and violet, whereas other inclusions such as leucocyte granules are colored orange to red.