Which stain is commonly used to visualize myelin in nervous tissue?

• A. Luxol Fast Blue
• B. Bielschowsky's
• C. Oil Red O
• D. Gram's Stain

Answer: (A)

The main idea is choosing a stain that specifically highlights the lipid-rich myelin sheath in nervous tissue. Luxol Fast Blue binds to the myelin lipids and stains them blue, which is why it’s the standard stain for visualizing myelin. In routine staining, it’s often paired with a counterstain (like Cresyl Violet) to distinguish neurons and other tissue components, helping demyelination patterns to stand out clearly.

Bielschowsky's stain targets neurofibrils and nerve fibers but is not specific for myelin. Oil Red O stains lipids as well but is used mainly on frozen sections to detect fat and lipids, not as the primary method for paraffin-embedded nervous tissue myelin. Gram’s stain is for bacteria, not neural components.

So Luxol Fast Blue is the best choice for visualizing myelin.