Zirconyl hematoxylin vs. alcian blue staining in a case of extramammary Paget's disease.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Despite its occasional unavailability, alcian blue has long been the stain of choice for the pathognomonic mucin-secreting cells of extramammary Paget's disease. Zirconyl hematoxylin is a recently developed substitute for alcian blue, which is made from common laboratory materials.

METHODS:

We have stained sections from three different areas of the same case of extramammary Paget's disease with zirconyl hematoxylin, destained in 7% HCl in ethanol, restained with alcian blue at pH 2.5, destained in 2.5% trifluoroacetic acid in dichloromethane, and restained with zirconyl hematoxylin.

RESULTS:

Each staining procedure stained the same cells.

CONCLUSIONS:

Zirconyl hematoxylin is a useful alternative to alcian blue in the diagnosis of extramammary Paget's disease.

• Authors: Allen A Smith, Timothy M Silver
• Journal: Journal of cutaneous pathology (J Cutan Pathol) Vol. 30 Issue 6 Pg. 401-4 (Jul 2003) ISSN: 0303-6987 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12834490 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Mucins
• Zirconium
• Alcian Blue
• Hematoxylin

Topics

• Aged
• Alcian Blue (chemistry)
• Hematoxylin (chemistry)
• Humans
• Male
• Mucins (analysis, metabolism)
• Paget Disease, Extramammary (chemistry, metabolism, pathology)
• Skin Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)
• Staining and Labeling (methods)
• Zirconium (chemistry)