Progress in the Development of Microscopical Techniques for Diagnostic Pathology

Many of the time-honored methods for histopathological analysis of tissue sections have been superseded by new histological techniques, immunohistochemistry, or other diagnostic tests. Some of the dyes that were used for generations are no longer available, and chemicals used in some older methods are now considered hazardous. Additionally, the histotechnologists and pathologists familiar with these techniques are now retiring and leaving the field, resulting in a loss of experience. To provide a sense of the rich legacy of histopathological analysis, this article reviews the development of special stains in histopathology, describes staining techniques, and discusses the wide range of applications. Numerous staining techniques mentioned in this article were originally published many years ago, some in obscure journals in foreign countries, and are not readily available to practicing histotechnologists. To encourage further study, references in English are given, many to popular histotechnology texts found in most histopathology laboratories or biomedical libraries. (The J Histotechnol 32(1):9–19, 2009)Submitted June 5, 2008; accepted with revisions September 1, 2008