Histopathology basics · USMLE Step 1

Which of the following descriptions correctly defines the role of (H&E) in routine histopathology?

  1. It stains lipids red and collagen blue
  2. It stains nuclei blue-purple and cytoplasm pink
  3. It selectively highlights only carbohydrate-rich structures
  4. It is only used for frozen tissue sections
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Correct answer: It stains nuclei blue-purple and cytoplasm pink

In H&E stain, hematoxylin stains nucleic acids (nuclei) blue-purple, while eosin stains cytoplasm and many extracellular proteins pink-red, allowing clear differentiation of cell architecture. It is the standard stain in histology for general tissue overview.

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