苏木素 (Hematoxylin)和伊红 (Eosin)联合染色简称HE染色,是病理学和组织学最常用的一种染色方法。苏木精为碱性天然染料,可使细胞核着色。细胞核内染色质的主要成分是DNA,在DNA的双螺旋结构中,两条核苷酸链上的磷酸基向外,使DNA双螺旋的外侧带负电荷,呈酸性,很容易与带正电荷的苏木精碱性染料以离子键或氢键结合而被染色。
苏木素染色液 (免疫组化专用)属于明矾苏木素的一种,苏木精含量小,无氧化膜形成,对细胞核染色很清晰,不着染胞质和纤维成分,属进行性染色,故染色后不需盐酸乙醇分化,染色时间约3-5min。该试剂常用于糖原等特染、酶组化和免疫组化等染色后复染细胞核,尤其适用于在经过特殊染色后不能经酸处理时对细胞核的复染,此时染色时间较短 (通常5-10min),染完后即可进行蓝化,不必分化,在特殊染色中可与天青石蓝B联合染色,使细胞核染色后不被后续的酸性染料所褪色。该试剂仅用于科研领域,不适用于临床诊断或其他用途。
染色原理:
1、细胞核染色的原理:
苏木素为碱性天然染料,可使细胞核着色。细胞核内染色质的成分主要是DNA,在DNA双螺旋结构中,两条核苷酸链上的磷酸基向外,使DNA双螺旋的外侧带负电荷,呈酸性,很容易与带正电荷的苏木素碱性染料以离子键或氢键结合而被染色。苏木素在碱性溶液中呈蓝色,所以细胞核被染成蓝色。
2、细胞浆染色的原理:
伊红是一种化学合成的酸性染料,在一定条件下可使细胞浆着色。细胞浆的主要成分是蛋白质,为两性化合物,细胞浆的染色与染液的pH值密切相关。当染色液pH值在胞浆蛋白质等电点 (4.7-5.0)以下时,胞浆蛋白质以碱式电离,则细胞浆带正电荷,就可被带负电荷的酸性染料染色。伊红在水中离解成带负电荷的阴离子,与胞浆蛋白质带正电荷的阳离子结合,使细胞浆着色,呈现红色。
3、分化作用:
染色后,用某些特定的溶液将组织过多结合的染色剂脱去,这个过程称为分化作用,所用的溶液称为分化液。在HE染色中常用1%盐酸乙醇作为分化液,因酸能破坏苏木素的醌型结构,使组织与色素分离而退色。大多数组织经苏木素染色后,必须用1%盐酸乙醇分化,使细胞核过多结合的苏木素染料和细胞浆吸附的苏木素染料脱去,再进行伊红染色,才能保证细胞核与细胞浆染色的分明。
4、返蓝作用:
分化之后,苏木素在酸性条件下处于红色离子状态,呈红色;在碱性条件下处于蓝色离子状态,呈蓝色。组织切片经酸性乙醇分化后呈红色或粉红色,立即用水除去组织切片上的酸而中止分化,再用弱碱性水使苏木素染上的细胞核呈现蓝色,这个过程称为返蓝作用或蓝化作用。另外用自来水浸洗也可使细胞核返蓝,但所需时间较长。
自备材料:
1、盐酸乙醇分化液、系列乙醇、环保浸蜡脱蜡透明液
2、蓝化液,如稀氨水、碳酸锂溶液等
操作步骤(仅供参考):
1、根据实验具体需求和所染组织或者细胞适量染色。
2、无需盐酸乙醇分化,染色时间3-5min,一般应控制在10min以内。冷冻切片则染色时间尽量要短。
染色结果:
细胞核呈蓝色;
细胞质、肌纤维、胶原纤维等呈深浅不一的红色;
角蛋白、红细胞等呈明亮的橙红色。
注意事项:
1、切片脱蜡应尽量干净。系列乙醇应经常更换新液。
2、盐酸乙醇分化时间应根据切片厚薄、组织类别以及新旧而定。另外分化后自来水冲洗时间应该足够,以便彻底清洗酸。
3、本产品可用于普通组织切片染色,也可用于免疫组织化学染色。如作为普通组织切片染色使用,可常温存放,但试剂会随时间延长,染色力加强,需要调整染色时间。一般建议4℃保存。
4、为了您的安全和健康,请穿实验服并戴一次性手套操作。
The combined staining of Hematoxylin and Eosin, abbreviated as HE staining, is the most commonly used staining method in pathology and histology. Hematoxylin is a basic natural dye that can stain cell nuclei. The main component of chromatin in the cell nucleus is DNA. In the double-helix structure of DNA, the phosphate groups on the two nucleotide chains face outward, making the outer side of the DNA double helix negatively charged and acidic. It easily binds to the positively charged basic hematoxylin dye through ionic bonds or hydrogen bonds and is thus stained.
Hematoxylin Staining Solution (For IHC Use Only) is a type of alum hematoxylin. It has a low hematoxylin content, no oxide film formation, and stains cell nuclei very clearly without staining cytoplasmic or fibrous components. It is a progressive stain, so no hydrochloric acid-ethanol differentiation is required after staining, and the staining time is approximately 3-5 minutes. This reagent is often used for counterstaining cell nuclei after special staining (such as glycogen staining), enzyme histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. It is particularly suitable for counterstaining cell nuclei when acid treatment cannot be performed after special staining. In such cases, the staining time is shorter (usually 5-10 minutes), and bluing can be performed immediately after staining without differentiation. In special staining, it can be used in combination with Celestine Blue B to prevent the stained cell nuclei from fading due to subsequent acidic dyes. This reagent is for research use only and not intended for clinical diagnosis or other purposes.
Staining Principle
1. Principle of Cell Nucleus Staining
Hematoxylin is a basic natural dye that can stain cell nuclei. The main component of chromatin in the cell nucleus is DNA. In the double-helix structure of DNA, the phosphate groups on the two nucleotide chains face outward, making the outer side of the DNA double helix negatively charged and acidic. It easily binds to the positively charged basic hematoxylin dye through ionic bonds or hydrogen bonds and is thus stained. Hematoxylin appears blue in an alkaline solution, so the cell nuclei are stained blue.
2. Principle of Cytoplasm Staining
Eosin is a synthetic acidic dye that can stain cytoplasm under certain conditions. The main component of cytoplasm is protein, which is an amphoteric compound. The staining of cytoplasm is closely related to the pH value of the staining solution. When the pH value of the staining solution is below the isoelectric point (
4.7-5.0) of cytoplasmic proteins, the cytoplasmic proteins ionize in a basic form, making the cytoplasm positively charged. It can then be stained by the negatively charged acidic eosin dye. Eosin dissociates into negatively charged anions in water, which combine with the positively charged cations of cytoplasmic proteins to stain the cytoplasm red.
3. Differentiation
After staining, the process of removing excess dye bound to tissues using specific solutions is called differentiation, and the solution used is called a differentiating solution. In HE staining, 1% hydrochloric acid-ethanol is commonly used as the differentiating solution. Acid can destroy the quinoid structure of hematoxylin, causing the separation of tissue and pigment and thus fading. After most tissues are stained with hematoxylin, they must be differentiated with 1% hydrochloric acid-ethanol to remove excess hematoxylin dye bound to cell nuclei and hematoxylin dye adsorbed by cytoplasm. Only then can eosin staining be performed to ensure clear differentiation between the staining of cell nuclei and cytoplasm.
4. Bluing
After differentiation, hematoxylin exists in a red ionic state (red color) under acidic conditions and in a blue ionic state (blue color) under alkaline conditions. Tissue sections appear red or pink after differentiation with acidic ethanol. Immediately rinse the sections with water to remove the acid and stop differentiation, then use weakly alkaline water to make the hematoxylin-stained cell nuclei appear blue. This process is called bluing. Additionally, rinsing with tap water can also blue the cell nuclei, but it takes a longer time.
Self-Prepared Materials
1. Hydrochloric acid-ethanol differentiating solution, a series of ethanol solutions, environment-friendly wax-immersing, dewaxing, and clearing solution
2. Bluing solution, such as dilute ammonia water, lithium carbonate solution, etc.
Operating Steps (for reference only)
1. Adjust the staining volume appropriately according to the specific experimental requirements and the tissues or cells to be stained.
2. No hydrochloric acid-ethanol differentiation is required. The staining time is 3-5 minutes, and generally should be controlled within 10 minutes. For frozen sections, the staining time should be as short as possible.
Staining Results
Cell nuclei: Blue
Cytoplasm, muscle fibers, collagen fibers, etc.: Red (with varying shades)
Keratin, red blood cells, etc.: Bright orange-red
Precautions
1. Tissue sections must be thoroughly dewaxed. The series of ethanol solutions should be replaced with new ones regularly.
2. The differentiation time with hydrochloric acid-ethanol depends on the thickness of the sections, tissue type, and the freshness of the solution. In addition, the rinsing time with tap water after differentiation should be sufficient to completely remove the acid.
3. This product can be used for staining ordinary tissue sections as well as immunohistochemical staining. If used for ordinary tissue section staining, it can be stored at room temperature. However, the staining intensity of the reagent will increase over time, so the staining time needs to be adjusted. Storage at 4°C is generally recommended.
4. For your safety and health, please wear a lab coat and disposable gloves during operation.