title: An improved staining method for intervertebral disc tissue.
abstract: The objective of this study was to design a new staining procedure for human disc tissue for visualizing both collagen and proteoglycan-matrix components on the same histology section. Weigert's hematoxylin, alcian blue and picrosirius red were combined to produce distinctive staining of collagen (red), proteoglycans (blue) and cellular elements of the intervertebral disc. This novel stain reveals sharp details of collagen composition in the perilacunar, territorial and intraterritorial extracellular matrix, and concomitantly demonstrates the presence of proteoglycan accumulations around cells in the lacunar spaces and in the extracellular matrix. These details reveal variations within the tissue that would not be apparent with routine stains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC 28232, USA. hgruber@carolinas.org
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Hanley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D000423:Alcian Blue; D001391:Azo Compounds; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D006416:Hematoxylin; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000473:pathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D011509:Proteoglycans; C009798:C.I. direct red 80; D003094:Collagen; D000423:Alcian Blue; D006416:Hematoxylin