Which reagent is used in the PAS (Periodic Acid-Schiff) stain?

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Multiple Choice

Which reagent is used in the PAS (Periodic Acid-Schiff) stain?

Explanation:
Periodic acid does the key oxidation step in the PAS process. It oxidizes the cis-diols in carbohydrate-rich structures to create aldehyde groups. Those aldehydes then react with Schiff reagent to produce the characteristic magenta color. This makes periodic acid the reagent used for the oxidative preparation in PAS. Hematoxylin isn’t part of that chemistry; it’s a common nuclear counterstain. DAB is a chromogen used in immunohistochemistry, not in PAS. Sodium periodate is a related oxidizer, but the standard PAS protocol uses periodic acid.

Periodic acid does the key oxidation step in the PAS process. It oxidizes the cis-diols in carbohydrate-rich structures to create aldehyde groups. Those aldehydes then react with Schiff reagent to produce the characteristic magenta color. This makes periodic acid the reagent used for the oxidative preparation in PAS. Hematoxylin isn’t part of that chemistry; it’s a common nuclear counterstain. DAB is a chromogen used in immunohistochemistry, not in PAS. Sodium periodate is a related oxidizer, but the standard PAS protocol uses periodic acid.

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