Luxol fast blue stain, abbreviated LFB stain and simply LFB, is a commonly used stain to observe myelin under light microscopy.
It is the alcohol soluble counterpart of the water soluble alcian blue. The stain works via an acid-base reaction with the base of the lipoprotein in myelin replacing the base of the dye and causing a colour change.
Under the stain, myelin fibers appear blue, neuropil appears pink, and nerve cells appear purple.
It is often combined with hematoxylin and eosin, which is abbreviated H-E-LFB, H&E-LFB.
Sheehan D, Hrapchak B, Theory and practice of Histotechnology, 2nd ed,1980, pp. 262–264, Battelle Press, Ohio.