Histotechnology-II & Cytology (Practical) Notes
Subject Overview
The practical companion to Histotechnology-II & Cytology, performing frozen sectioning, the full range of special stains for connective tissue, minerals, bacteria and fungi in tissue sections, and cytology preparations including the Papanicolaou and sex-chromatin staining techniques. A 2-credit elective laboratory paper.
Subject at a glance
1
Units
15
Topics
2
Credits
1
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
1 units — click WhatsApp below to get the full notes for each
Unit 1: Special staining and cytology technique
- Frozen section cutting and staining (H&E, toluidine blue-O, oil red O for fat)
- Schiff's reagent preparation and Periodic Acid-Schiff stain
- ammoniacal silver bath and reticulin fibre staining
- Van Gieson's stain for smooth muscle
- Masson's trichrome
- elastic fibre staining (EVG)
- Von Kossa's method for calcium salts
- mucicarmine and alcian blue staining
- Perl's stain for iron
- Gram
- AFB (Ziehl-Neelsen) and Grocott's staining for bacteria/fungi in tissue
- Schmorl's reaction
- nucleic acid staining
- Papanicolaou stain on cervical smear
- Guard's staining for sex chromatin (Barr bodies) on buccal smear
- 1
Fix the smear wet
95% ethyl alcohol
- 2
Haematoxylin
Nuclei
- 3
Blue in running water
- 4
OG-6
Orange G: keratinised cytoplasm
- 5
EA-50
Eosin azure: other cytoplasm
- 6
Dehydrate, clear and mount
Study guide
In this practical you perform frozen sections and stains (H&E, toluidine blue, oil red O), PAS, reticulin, Van Gieson, Masson's trichrome, elastic stains, Von Kossa, mucicarmine, alcian blue, Perl's, Gram, ZN and Grocott's stains on tissue, nucleic acid staining, Papanicolaou staining of cervical smears and Barr body staining on buccal smears. Always include a positive control slide with special stains.
Why Histotechnology-II & Cytology (Practical) Matters
Special staining and Pap smear technique are core pathology-laboratory skills that lead to specialised jobs.
How to Prepare for Histotechnology-II & Cytology (Practical)
- Learn each stain's principle and expected result.
- Always use control slides.
- Practise Pap staining on smears.
Histotechnology-II & Cytology (Practical): Frequently Asked Questions
What stains are used in the histotechnology-II practical?
Frozen section stains, PAS, reticulin, trichrome, elastic, Perl's, Gram, ZN, Grocott's, Papanicolaou and Barr body staining.