Which stain demonstrates gliosis?

• A. Holzer
• B. Bodian
• C. Bielschowsky
• D. Cresyl echt Violet

Answer: (A)

Gliosis is a reactive change where astrocytes proliferate and extend their processes in response to CNS injury, so you need a stain that highlights glial fibers. Holzer staining uses silver impregnation to visualize glial fibers, making the network of reactive astrocytic processes stand out clearly. That direct visualization is what lets you identify gliosis.

The other stains focus on neurons or neuronal components rather than glial fibers. Bodian and Bielschowsky stains emphasize axons and neurites or neurofibrillary elements, while Cresyl echt Violet highlights Nissl bodies in neuronal cell bodies. They don’t specifically reveal the glial proliferation seen in gliosis. In modern practice, GFAP immunostaining is often used to demonstrate astrocytosis more precisely, but Holzer remains the classic histochemical stain for visualizing gliosis.