Hematoxylin

Hematoxylin is a basophilic dye extracted from the tree Heamatoxylum campechianum. It specifically binds to acidic compounds and thus is useful for staining cell nuclei which contain acidic substances: DNA and RNA. Hematoxylin, when oxidized forms hematein, which has thick pale blue purple colour. Hematoxylin is often used along with eosin, in histological study under light microscope.

Certified for use in Weigert′s iron hematoxylin, Mayer′s hemalum, Harris hemalum and in Heidenhain′s technique

Hematoxylin has been used:

• to visualize anatomical features and to detect nucleus locus coeruleus adjacent to the periaqueductal gray region in brainstem samples
• as a nuclear counterstain to visualize the nucleus, adipocytes were counterstained with a hematoxylin reagent
• to stain lung tissue for histological analysis