Product Overview :
Collagen fibers are the most abundant structural fibers in connective tissue. Type I collagen predominates in bone, skin, and tendons; type II collagen is mainly found in cartilage; type III collagen is present in embryonic tissues, adult blood vessels, and the gastrointestinal tract; and type IV collagen is a major component of basement membranes.
Picrosirius red and its counterstain are strongly acidic dyes that bind firmly to basic groups in collagen molecules. Under polarized light microscopy, collagen fibers exhibit positive uniaxial birefringence. Binding of picrosirius red enhances birefringence and resolution, allowing discrimination of different collagen types.
The modified Picrosirius Red staining kit consists of iron hematoxylin and Picrosirius Red solutions and does not contain picric acid. It is used to investigate collagen abnormalities and fibrosis in pathological tissues. Under bright-field microscopy, collagen fibers appear red; under polarized light, the method supports collagen fiber typing and fibrosis grading. Compared with immunohistochemistry for collagen I and III, this method is cost-effective, simple, and time-efficient.
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