Name a hematoxylin stain that will stain the mucin in goblet cells.

• A. Gill
• B. Harris
• C. Mayer
• D. Weigert

Answer: (A)

Staining goblet cell mucin with a hematoxylin formulation relies on the stain’s ability to interact with the mucin’s acidic components. Gill’s hematoxylin has a mordant system and formulation that, in some protocols, allows the mucin within goblet cells to take up the stain, producing a distinct color in the goblet cells in addition to staining nuclei. The other hematoxylin formulations listed are optimized mainly for nuclear staining and general tissue contrast and do not reliably stain goblet cell mucin. While mucin-specific stains like mucicarmine or Alcian blue are routinely used to highlight goblet cell mucin, among hematoxylin options, Gill’s is the one noted for staining mucin in goblet cells.