African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Full Length Research Paper

Comparison between Giemsa and Van Geison stains in demonstration of collagen fibers (Kosti-2016)

Ziyad Mudasir
  • Ziyad Mudasir
  • Department of Histopathology and Cytology, Faculty of Medical laboratory Sciences, University of El-Imam El-Mahdi, Kosti, Sudan.
  • Google Scholar
Salma Adil
  • Salma Adil
  • Department of Histopathology and Cytology, Faculty of Medical laboratory Sciences, University of El-Imam El-Mahdi, Kosti, Sudan.
  • Google Scholar
Ahmed Ibn Edriss
  • Ahmed Ibn Edriss
  • Department of Histopathology and Cytology, Faculty of Medical laboratory Sciences, University of El-Imam El-Mahdi, Kosti, Sudan.
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 28 February 2016
  •  Accepted: 25 August 2016
  •  Published: 14 September 2016

Abstract

Trichrome stain (such as Van Geison) is usually used in histopathology laboratory for demonstration of collagenic fibers. Lack of selectivity and tendency of stain to fade makes van Gieson not ideal for collagen demonstration. This study was aimed to compare between Giemsa's and van Gieson's stains in collagen fibers demonstration. Twenty biopsies were obtained from rabbit’s skin after anesthesia by chloroform and immediately fixed by 10% neutral buffered formalin for 48 h. Then samples were processed using tissue processing machine and sectioned by rotary microtome. Two hundred (200) tissue sections of 5 micron thickness were prepared. A 100 tissue sections was stained by Van Geison and another 100 tissue sections stained by Giemsa. The stained section was compared with illustrated photomicrographs in order to assess staining quality. Best collagen staining quality was obtained by Van Geison's 60 (60%) and 40 (40%), mean 1.40, followed by Giemsa's stain excellent 55 (55%) and good 45 (45%), mean 1.45. Conclusively, Van Geison's is superior but Giemsa stain is rapid, sensitive without fading tendency, easy to perform and low cost and can be used as special stain under optimized conditions.

Key words: Collagen, Giemsa, Van Geison.