The term hyaline (Greek: ὑάλινος ‘glassy’ from Greek: ὕαλος, ‘crystal, glass’) denotes a substance with a glass-like appearance.
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In histopathological medical usage, a hyaline substance appears glassy and pink after being stained with haematoxylin and eosin — usually it is an acellular, proteinaceous material. An example is hyaline cartilage, a transparent, glossy articular joint cartilage.
Some mistakenly refer to all hyaline as hyaline cartilage, however hyaline is a descriptive term that applies to other material besides the cartilage itself.
Arterial hyaline is seen in aging, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and in association with some drugs (e.g. calcineurin inhibitors). It is bright pink with PAS staining.
In ichthyology and entomology, the hyaline term usage denotes a type of colorless, transparent substance.