Statement: When Luxol fast blue stain is combined with the Holmes silver nitrate stain, both glial fibers and myelin are demonstrated.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not determinable
• D. Both glial fibers and axons are demonstrated

Answer: (B)

This combination targets myelin and neural fibers, not glial fibers. Luxol fast blue binds to the lipids in myelin, staining myelin sheaths blue, which is how demyelination is visualized. The Holmes silver nitrate stain decorates neural elements such as axons and neurofibrils with silver, making them stand out against the stained background. Glial fibers, like astrocytic processes, are not specifically highlighted by the Holmes silver nitrate method, so they don’t appear demonstrated alongside myelin in this pairing. Therefore, the statement is not correct because you would expect to see myelin plus axons/neurofilaments, not glial fibers, with this combination.