VDx Veterinary Diagnostics and Preclinical Research Services

Preclinical Histology Services

VDx has a full service histology laboratory offering everything from standard paraffin embedding with routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, to advanced histochemical special stains, and immunochemical stains. Our experienced histology technicians are all fully trained and proficient.

Standard Processing

Formalin fixed tissues are processed on fully automated processors through graded alcohols, xylenes, and infiltrated with paraffin. These tissues are then embedded by hand in a paraffin wax, sectioned on a rotary microtome at 3-5 microns, and mounted on glass slides for staining.

H&E Staining

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining is the most commonly used stain for histopathologic analysis.

This stain allows for visualization of nuclei, cytoplasm, erythrocytes, collagen, and other cell and tissue structures.

Special Stains

VDx offers a wide array of special stains to help you get the best results for your study.

Listed below are our most commonly performed stains. Please contact us if you do not see the stains you need listed or if you have any questions regarding special stains.

  • AFB, Ziehl-Neelsen
  • Alcian Blue, pH2.5
  • Bennhold’s Congo Red Method for Amyloid
  • Bielschowsky-PAS 
  • Congo Red Method for Eosinophils
  • Fite Acid-Fast
  • Fontana Masson
  • Gomori’s Reticulin
  • Grimelius
  • Hall’s Bile
  • Hematoxylin-Basic Fuchsin-Picric Acid (HBFP)
  • Luxol Fast Blue
  • Mallory’s Phosphotungstic Acid-Hematoxylin (PTAH)
  • Masson’s Trichrome
  • Melanin Bleach
  • Modified Brown and Brenn Gram
  • Modified Elastin
  • Modified Grocott Methenamine Silver (GMS)
  • Modified Method of May-Grunwald Giemsa
  • Modified Prussian Blue Stain for Ferric Iron
  • Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS)
  • Periodic Acid Schiff with Diastase Digestion (PAS/D)
  • Rhodanine Method for Copper
  • Russell-Movat’s Pentachrome
  • Safranin O
  • Toluidine Blue for Mast Cells
  • Verhoeff / Masson Trichrome Modification
  • Von Kossa for Calcium
  • Warthin-Starry Technique for Spirochetes

Immunochemistry

VDx has been performing immunochemical staining on histology and cytology samples since 2009. Please contact us to discuss the details of your project and we can assist in setting up and implementing an IHC staining protocol to suit your study’s specific needs.