Which stain is responsible for the rose coloration observed in neural tissue staining?

• A. Cresyl echt violet
• B. Methylene blue
• C. Hematoxylin
• D. Eosin

Answer: (A)

Neurons show a prominent amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum packed with ribosomes, known as Nissl substance. Staining with a basic dye that binds to the acidic RNA in these structures highlights the neuron’s cell body, producing a distinct violet-to-rose color. Cresyl echt violet is a classic Nissl stain specifically chosen to visualize these Nissl bodies, so neuronal cell bodies stand out as a rose-colored structure against lighter surrounding tissue. The other stains target different components (for example, hematoxylin for nuclei, eosin for cytoplasm, methylene blue for general basophilic structures) and do not produce the characteristic rose coloration of the Nissl substance seen with cresyl violet.