Choose the correct option: 1. Perls stain, iron, red 2. Alizarin, Ca, black 3. Van Gieson, elastin, blue 4. Giemsa, mast cells, purple

1. A

   2 & 4

2. B

   1, 2, 3

3. C

   2, 3, 4

4. D

   Only 4

Appeared in: INI-CET EXAM -2025

Explanation

• The question requires identifying the correct combination of a specific stain, the substance it targets, and the color it produces.
• Statement 4 is the only correct one: Giemsa stain is used to identify various cell types, and it stains the metachromatic granules of mast cells a distinct purple color.
• Perls stain for iron results in a blue color, not red.
• Alizarin stain for calcium results in an orange-red color, not black.
• Van Gieson stain is for collagen (stains red/pink), not elastin.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: This option claims that statements 2 and 4 are correct. While statement 4 is correct, statement 2 (Alizarin, Ca, black) is incorrect. Alizarin stains calcium orange-red.
• Option B: This option claims that statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct. All three of these statements are incorrect. Perls stains iron blue, Alizarin stains calcium orange-red, and Van Gieson stains collagen red/pink.
• Option C: This option claims that statements 2, 3, and 4 are correct. While statement 4 is correct, statements 2 (Alizarin, Ca, black) and 3 (Van Gieson, elastin, blue) are incorrect.

Related Visual

• Visual 1: Micrograph - A slide showing Perls' Prussian blue stain, highlighting blue deposits of hemosiderin in tissue to demonstrate its actual color.
• Visual 2: Micrograph - A slide stained with Giemsa, clearly showing mast cells with their characteristic deep purple granules against a lighter background.
• Visual 3: Chart - A comparative chart of common histochemical stains, listing the stain, target substance, and resulting color for quick reference and comparison.

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification and application of special histopathological stains as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• Understanding special stains is crucial for pathologists and histotechnologists to accurately diagnose diseases. For example, identifying iron overload (hemosiderosis) with Perls stain or diagnosing certain infections and tumors with Giemsa.
• A nurse reviewing a pathology report may encounter descriptions of these stains. Knowing what they signify helps in understanding the basis of a patient's diagnosis and care plan.
• What if? - If a patient has suspected hereditary hemochromatosis, the pathologist would specifically request a Perls' Prussian blue stain on a liver biopsy. A positive result (blue deposits) would confirm excessive iron storage, guiding the treatment plan which includes therapeutic phlebotomy.

How to Approach the Question

• First, read the question carefully. It presents four separate statements, each linking a stain, a substance, and a color.
• Evaluate each statement independently based on your knowledge of histopathology.
• For statement 1 (Perls), recall or look up that it's the 'Prussian blue' reaction, indicating the color is blue, not red. Mark it as incorrect.
• For statement 2 (Alizarin), recall or look up that Alizarin Red S stains calcium red, not black. Mark it as incorrect.
• For statement 3 (Van Gieson), recall or look up that it's a collagen stain (red/pink), not an elastin stain (which is often stained black with Verhoeff-Van Gieson). Mark it as incorrect.
• For statement 4 (Giemsa), recall or look up its use for hematopoietic cells and the metachromatic staining of mast cell granules (purple). Mark it as correct.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Identification and application of special histopathological stains.
• Stem keywords: Perls stain, Alizarin, Van Gieson, Giemsa, iron, Ca, elastin, mast cells
• Lead-in keywords: Choose the correct option

Question ID

QNK9oBvJCqMECpu2hQBt4Z

Copy ID