Modern Medical Laboratory Journal

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) is the routine histologic stain and the basis for comparison with “special” histochemistry or immunohistochemistry procedures. H&E works so well in pathology because of the negatively charged affinity of acidic eosin for cytoplasmic proteins, and the positively charged affinity of basic hematoxylin for nuclear structures. Histologic evaluation typically begins with sections stained with H&E, so the pathologist must understand the mechanism of differential staining and know the factors that influence it to interpret lesions and troubleshoot problems with staining technique. The H&E procedure stains the nucleus and cytoplasm contrasting colors to readily differentiate cellular components. However, staining results are dependent on proper specimen processing, which involves tissue preservation, dehydration, clearing, and paraffin infiltration. While improvements in instrumentation for both tissue processing and staining have been beneficial, limitations in the chemical reagents used must always be considered.
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