Histopathology H&E Staining: Principle and Interpretation

H&E Stain Principle

• The principle behind H&E stain is based on the chemical attraction between the basic and acidic groups of the dyes and the tissue components.
• Hematoxylin is a basic dye that binds to acidic components of the tissue, such as nucleic acids and Glycosaminoglycans.
• Eosin is an acidic dye that binds to basic components of the tissue, such as proteins and carbohydrates.

Hematoxylin Function

• The primary function of hematoxylin in H&E staining is to stain basophilic structures, such as nuclei, ribosomes, and rough endoplasmic reticulum, a blue-purple color.

Eosin Function

• The primary function of acidic eosin in H&E staining is to counterstain acidophilic structures, such as cytoplasm, collagen, and muscle fibers, a pink color.
• Acidic eosin primarily counterstains cytoplasm and connective tissue.

Xylene Purpose

• The purpose of using Xylene in the H&E staining procedure is to dehydrate the tissue sections and make them transparent.

H&E Staining Technique

• The most widely used staining technique in histopathology is the H&E stain.

Histopathology Focus

• The primary focus of histopathology is to examine tissues microscopically to diagnose diseases.

Biopsy Types

• An incisional biopsy involves the removal of a small sample of tissue from a larger lesion.
• An excisional biopsy involves the removal of an entire lesion or mass.
• The majority type of preparation in histology is the paraffin-embedded section.
• A whole mount preparation involves mounting an entire tissue or organ on a slide.