Congo Red as a Simple Stain for Beta Cells of the Hypophysis

Bennhold's Congo red method for amyloid has been found to provide a simple, one step, differential staining technique for cells of the anterior lobe of the hypophysics, and to be applicable to routine use with formalin-fixed tissue. The beta cells stain orange-red and the alpha cells yellow, while the chromophobe cytoplasm remains unstained. This method can be used on material from humans and laboratory animals. Ordinary degrees of post-mortem change do not affect the staining reaction.