Prussian blue is a common stain used by pathologists to detect the presence of iron in biopsy specimens, such as deposits of storage ferritin in bone marrow biopsy samples.
The original stain formula, known historically (1867) as "Perls' Prussian blue" after its inventor, German pathologist Max Perls (1843-1881), used separate solutions of potassium ferrocyanide and acid to stain tissue (these are now used combined, just before staining). Iron deposits in tissue then form the insoluble Prussian blue dye (a complex hydrated ferric ferrocyanide substance) in place, and are visualized the microscopically as blue or purple deposits within cells.[1] The formula is also known as Perls Prussian blue and (incorrectly) as Perl's Prussian blue.
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