Which statement about Gordon and Sweets stain is correct?

• A. It uses acid and basic fuchsin
• B. It uses only acid fuchsin
• C. It uses only basic fuchsin
• D. It uses neither acid nor basic fuchsin

Answer: (D)

Gordon and Sweets stain is a silver impregnation method used to visualize reticular fibers in connective tissue, such as in lymphoid organs. The key idea is that it deposits metallic silver on the delicate reticular network, making those fibers stand out as dark against a lighter background. Because this stain relies on silver deposition rather than dye molecules that require acid or basic dye interactions, it does not use acid fuchsin or basic fuchsin. That’s why the statement that it uses neither acid nor basic fuchsin is the correct description. In practice, you’ll see the reticular framework appear dark while the surrounding tissue is lighter, which helps evaluate the connective tissue architecture.