Todayโs special stain is ๐ซ๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง?
Rhodanine is a stain for ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ. Copper, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ง (a cell aging pigment) and ๐ก๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง (a blood breakdown product) all look very similar on H&E, so these special stains help pathologists distinguish between the brown granules. Rhodanine dyes copper granules copper brown, against a pale blue background.
This image is a case of ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ in the liver of a cat. This cat has a genetic defect that prevents it from processing copper correctly. Small amounts of copper in the liver are fine, but when there is a defect that leads to copper accumulation, liver failure can result.
