Giemsa stain

stain (stān)

1. a substance used to impart color to tissues or cells, to facilitate microscopic study and identification.

2. an area of discoloration of the skin.

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differential stain  one which facilitates differentiation of various elements in a specimen.

Giemsa stain  a solution containing azure II-eosin, azure II, glycerin, and methanol; used for staining protozoan parasites, such as Plasmodium and Trypanosoma, for Chlamydia, for differential staining of blood smears, and for viral inclusion bodies.

Gram stain  a staining procedure in which microorganisms are stained with crystal violet, treated with strong iodine solution, decolorized with ethanol or ethanol-acetone, and counterstained with a contrasting dye; those retaining the stain are gram-positive, and those losing the stain but staining with the counterstain are gram-negative.

hematoxylin-eosin stain  a mixture of hematoxylin in distilled water and aqueous eosin solution, employed universally for routine tissue examination.

metachromatic stain  one which produces in certain elements colors different from that of the stain itself.

port-wine stain  see nevus flammeus.

supravital stain  a stain introduced in living tissue that has been removed from the body, but before cessation of the chemical life of the cells.

tumor stain  an area of increased density in a radiograph, due to collection of contrast material in distorted and abnormal vessels, prominent in the capillary and venous phase of arteriography, and presumed to indicate neoplasm.

vital stain  a stain introduced into the living organism, and taken up selectively by various tissues or cellular elements.

Wright's stain  a mixture of eosin and methylene blue, used for demonstrating blood cells and malarial parasites.

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Giemsa stain

n.

A mixture of glycerin, methanol, methylene azure, and eosin used to stain chromosomes, blood cell producing tissues, and certain species of spirochetes and protozoans.

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Giemsa stain

a solution containing azure II-eosin, azure II, glycerin and methanol; used for staining protozoan parasites, Leptospira, Borrelia, viral inclusion bodies and Rickettsia.