title: Comparing The Efficacy of Hematoxylin and Eosin, Periodic Acid Schiff and Fluorescent Periodic Acid Schiff-Acriflavine Techniques for Demonstration of Basement Membrane in Oral Lichen Planus: A Histochemical Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Basement membrane (BM) is a thick sheet of extracellular matrix molecules, upon which epithelial cells attach. Various immunohistochemical studies in the past have been carried out but these advanced staining techniques are expensive and not feasible in routine laboratories. Although hematoxylin and eosin (H-E) is very popular among pathologists for looking at biopsies, the method has some limitations. This is where special stains come handy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to demonstrate and compare the efficacy of H-E, periodic acid Schiff (PAS) and fluorescent periodic acid-acriflavine staining techniques for the basement membrane and to establish a histochemical stain which could be cost effective, less time consuming, and unambiguous for observation of the basement membrane zone.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total number of 40 paraffin-embedded tissue sections of known basement membrane containing tissues including 10 - Normal oral mucosa (NOM) and 30 - oral lichen planus (OLP) were considered in the study. Four-micron-thick sections of each block were cut and stained with H-E stain, PAS and fluorescent periodic acid-acriflavine stain. Sections were evaluated by three oral pathologists independently for continuity, contrast and pattern.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Though all the three stains showed favorable features at different levels, acriflavine stain was better than the other stains in demonstrating BM continuity, contrast and also the pattern followed by PAS stain. Acriflavine stain was the better in demonstrating a fibrillar pattern of a BM. Acriflavine stains a BM distinctly and is less time consuming and easy to carry out using readily available dyes as compared to other stains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The continuity and contrast along with the homogenous pattern and the afibrillar pattern of the BM was better demonstrated by acriflavine followed by the PAS stain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Sector 7, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Ashwini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pujar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Sector 7, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Treville
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Sector 7, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamgadge
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Sector 7, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Sudhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhalerao
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital, Sector 7, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamgadge
keywords: Basement membrane; fluorescent microscope; fluorescent periodic acid–acriflavine; oral lichen planus; periodic acid Schiff