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Stain vs. Dye in Histology

The main difference between stain and dye in histology is that stain is usually a combination of numerous dyes, whereas dye is a substance that highlights extracellular or intracellular elements of a tissue.

Key Differences

The main role of stain is to give contrast to the tissue; on the other hand, the main role of dye is to highlight a particular component within a tissue.
The stain is produced with great attention or precautions and with extra fine conditions.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 21, 2019
Various examples of stain are toluidine blue, Wright’s stain, H&E, Masson’s trichrome stain; on the flip side, some examples of dye are pyronin G, Aniline blue, Methyl green, orange G.
Harlon Moss
Sep 21, 2019
The stain is a purified form, and it does not contain impurities; on the contrary, a dye is a crude form of color that contains impurities.
Harlon Moss
Sep 21, 2019
The stain is a combination of different dyes, whereas dye is a chemical reagent.
Stain usually highlights different components in different colors, while dye only highlights a particular component of the tissue only in one color.
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Stain normally used for biological specimens; conversely, the dye is used for normal purposes like staining clothes.

Comparison Chart

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The stain is a mixture of specific dyes to color a biological synthetics in a lab.
The dye is a distinct chemical mixture present in a stain.

Significance

A mixture of different dyes
A chemical reagent

Colors

Highlights different works in different colors
Only highlights a particular component of the tissue only in one color

Role

To give contrast to the tissue
Highlight a particular component within a tissue
Harlon Moss
Sep 21, 2019

Functions

Normally used for biological specimens
Used for normal purposes like staining clothes
Harlon Moss
Sep 21, 2019
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Purity/Impurity

A purified form and it does not contain impurities in its structure
A crude form of color that contains impurities

Manufacture

Manufactured with great care and under more rigid specifications
A crude form

Examples

Toluidine blue, Wright’s stain, H&E, Masson’s trichrome stain
Pyronin G, Aniline blue, Methyl green, orange G
Samantha Walker
Sep 21, 2019

Stain and Dye in Histology Definitions

Stain

To discolor, soil, or spot
The spilled juice stained the carpet.

Stain

To bring into disrepute; taint or tarnish
The scandal stained the mayor's reputation.

Stain

To change the color of (a piece of wood, for example) by applying a stain.
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Stain

To treat (a specimen for the microscope) with a reagent or dye in order to identify cell or tissue structures or microorganisms.

Stain

To produce or receive discolorations
Upholstery that stains easily.

Stain

A discolored or soiled spot or smudge
A stain that was difficult to scrub out.

Stain

A diminishment of one's moral character or good reputation by being associated with something disgraceful.

Stain

A liquid substance applied especially to wood that penetrates the surface and imparts a rich color.

Stain

A reagent or dye used for staining microscopic specimens.

Stain

A discoloured spot or area.

Stain

A blemish on one's character or reputation.

Stain

A substance used to soak into a surface and colour it.

Stain

A reagent or dye used to stain microscope specimens so as to make some structures visible.

Stain

(heraldry) Any of a number of non-standard tinctures used in modern heraldry.

Stain

(transitive) To discolour.
To stain the hand with dye
Armour stained with blood

Stain

To taint or tarnish someone's character or reputation

Stain

To coat a surface with a stain
To stain wood with acids, coloured washes, paint rubbed in, etc.
The stained glass used for church windows

Stain

(intransitive) To become stained; to take a stain.

Stain

To treat (a microscopic specimen) with a dye, especially one that dyes specific features

Stain

To cause to seem inferior or soiled by comparison.

Stain

To discolor by the application of foreign matter; to make foul; to spot; as, to stain the hand with dye; armor stained with blood.

Stain

To color, as wood, glass, paper, cloth, or the like, by processes affecting, chemically or otherwise, the material itself; to tinge with a color or colors combining with, or penetrating, the substance; to dye; as, to stain wood with acids, colored washes, paint rubbed in, etc.; to stain glass.

Stain

To spot with guilt or infamy; to bring reproach on; to blot; to soil; to tarnish.
Of honor void,Of innocence, of faith, of purity,Our wonted ornaments now soiled and stained.

Stain

To cause to seem inferior or soiled by comparison.
She stains the ripest virgins of her age.
That did all other beasts in beauty stain.

Stain

To give or receive a stain; to grow dim.

Stain

A discoloration by foreign matter; a spot; as, a stain on a garment or cloth.

Stain

A natural spot of a color different from the gound.
Swift trouts, diversified with crimson stains.

Stain

Taint of guilt; tarnish; disgrace; reproach.
Nor death itself can wholly wash their stains.
Our opinion . . . is, I trust, without any blemish or stain of heresy.

Stain

Cause of reproach; shame.

Stain

A tincture; a tinge.
You have some stain of soldier in you.

Stain

A soiled or discolored appearance;
The wine left a dark stain

Stain

(microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible

Stain

The state of being covered with unclean things

Stain

A symbol of disgrace or infamy;
And the Lord set a mark upon Cain

Stain

An act that brings discredit to the person who does it;
He made a huge blot on his copybook

Stain

Color with a liquid dye or tint;
Stain this table a beautiful walnut color
People knew how to stain glass a beautiful blue in the middle ages

Stain

Produce or leave stains;
Red wine stains the table cloth

Stain

Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically;
The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air
Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man

Stain

Color for microscopic study;
The laboratory worker dyed the specimen

Stain vs. Dye in Histology

Stain highlights different works in different colors, while dye only highlights a particular component of the tissue only in one color. The stain is a mixture of different dyes, whereas dye is a chemical reagent. The main role of stain is to give contrast to the tissue; on the other hand, the main role of dye is to highlight a particular component within a tissue. Stain normally used for biological specimens; conversely, dye is used for normal purposes like staining clothes. Stain is a purified form, and it does not contain impurities in its structure; on the contrary, a dye is a crude form of color that contains impurities. The stain is produced with great attention or precautions and with extra firm conditions, while the dye is a crude form. Various examples of stain are toluidine blue, Wright’s stain, H&E, Masson’s trichrome stain; on the flip side, some examples of dye are pyronin G, Aniline blue, Methyl green, orange G.

What is Stain?

The stain is generally a mixture of various dyes that enhance the contrast of biological specimen under in microscopic image. Normally, most cells that makeup tissues are transparent and colorless. That’s why to make the cells observable when observing under a microscope the tissues are stained in a specific way. Various chemical reagents are used in the technique of staining are the stains. Each dye present inside the stain is specifically accentuated a particular chemical object within a tissue. Hence, many constituents of tissues can be seen and observe in various contrasting colors under the microscope. Therefore, it means that stains give a contrasting shade to the microscopic slides and biological specimen. Stain process is not just limited for giving contrasting colors to biological specimen but can also be used to examine the structure of many other materials such as the spherical structures of block copolymers and the lamellar structure of partial-crystalline polymers. The stain is a purified form, and it does not contain impurities in its structure. The stain is produced with great attention or precautions and with extra fine conditions.

Types of Stain

  • In Vivo Stain: In vivo stain is the method used to stain or dyeing living tissues.
  • In Vitro Stain: In vitro stain is the process which includes the coloring of structures or cells that have been removed, or in other words, it is used to stain non-living tissues.

Examples

Various examples of stain are toluidine blue, Wright’s stain, H&E, Masson’s trichrome stain.

What is Dye?

A dye is a generally a single component which is contained in a strain. A particular dye can be used to accentuate a specific chemical object within a tissue. Hence, to accentuated many constituents in the same slide, then a mixture of several types of dyes should be used. Dye is a crude form of color that contains impurities. The dye is used for normal purposes like staining clothes. The two general central types of dye are acidic dye and basic dye. Basic dye usually deals with acidic/anionic constituents of the tissue, for instance, a nucleic acid. Acidic dye normally reacts with basic/cationic components of the tissue, for instance, proteins.

Basic Dye

  • Methylene Blue: Blue color
  • Pyronin G: Red color
  • Toluidine Blue: Blue color
  • Methyl Green: Green color

Acidic Dye

  • Aniline Blue: Blue color
  • Eosin: Red color
  • Acid fuchsin: Red color
  • Orange G: Orange color

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