PICROPOLYCHROME STAINING TECHNIQUE APPLIED TO DUPUYTRENS TISSUE

Although the histology of Dupuytren's tissue is well-documented, conve ntional stains do not distinguish between the different types of colla gen which biochemistry and immunochemistry suggest are present. Dupuyt ren's specimens [nodules (n = 26), cords (n = 15) and dermofasciectomi es (n = 6)] were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Van Gieson's, Ma llory's, Masson's, and Herovici's picropolychrome stain, and examined for both cellularity and collagen staining characteristics, All stains illustrated the marked cellularity of the nodules, contrasting with a paucity of cells within the cords, The first four stains demonstrated uniformity of the collagen staining within the tissues. Herovici's pi cropolychrome, however, showed distinct staining patterns for the derm is, nodules and cords, with both purple/red and blue areas. Other stud ies suggest that those fibres stained purple/red and blue are types I and III collagens respectively. These findings may shed further light on the tissue of origin of Dupuytren's disease.