Differential staining of neuronal and glial nuclei.

The histological differentiation of neuronal from glial nuclei may be useful in the identification of tumours and in the study of developing nervous tissues. The following method does this by staining the glial nucleus red and the neuronal nucleus green. It also stains other structures in the neural parenchyma. Formol-fixed tissues taken down to water and embedded in paraffin are used. 1 The sections (10y) are placed for 10 minutes in 1% brilliant crystal scarlet (Ponceau R or Xyledine) solution made up with 1% acetic acid diluted in distilled water. 2 Washed in distilled water 3 Five minutes in 0 5 % phosphotungstic acid 4 Washed briefly in distilled water 5 Stained 30 seconds to one minute in 1% methyl green (made with distilled water) 6 Washed in distilled water 7 Dehydrate, clear, and mount in DPX The glial nucleus stains red, neuronal nucleus green, the nucleolus red, myelin red, axons green, red blood cells red, and connective tissue red.