Hematoxylene (Harris)

Hematoxylin (Harris) is a commonly used biological stain in histology and pathology. It is a natural dye extracted from the heartwood of the logwood tree, and it is used to selectively stain the nuclei of cells in tissue sections, making them visible under a microscope. Hematoxylin (Harris) stains the nuclei of cells blue to blue-black, providing contrast to other structures in the tissue. It is often used in combination with eosin, another commonly used stain, which stains the cytoplasm of cells pink to red. The combination of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) is a standard staining procedure used in many laboratories to visualize tissue samples for diagnostic purposes. The Harris modification of hematoxylin staining procedure involves the use of an oxidizing agent, such as lithium carbonate, to enhance the staining properties of the dye. The staining process typically involves several steps, including deparaffinization of the tissue section, staining with hematoxylin (Harris), differentiation in an acidic or alkaline solution, and counterstaining with eosin.