Fontana Stain for Melanin Test Cost & Procedure

Fontana Stain for Melanin Argentaffin cells and melanin are meant to be visualised histologically in paraffin or frozen sections using the Fontana-Masson stain. Also, it has been noted that the Fontana-Masson stain can distinguish between Capsule-Deficient Cryptococcus neoformans and regular

Cryptococcus neoformans.

Fontana-Masson Stain: What is it?

Argentaffin granules absorb the silver colour, which causes them to appear brown or black under a microscope. Melanin or argentaffin cell granules will appear brown or black, nuclei will appear pink or red, and cytoplasm will appear pale pink when Fontana-Masson staining is done correctly.

Applications:

Fontana-Masson staining has a specific advantage in identifying diseases like amelanotic melanoma, where the granules are less apparent. Making a diagnosis is challenging without being able to recognise the other characteristics of the sample. To remedy this weakness, the Fontana-Masson method is sometimes supplemented with different techniques. Based on the factors of melanins, the Masson-Fontana stain is used. The exact chemical structure of the brown-black precipitates known as melanins are unknown.

Properties:

Melanin granules, where melanin-protein complexes are found in the cytoplasm of cells, are where melanins bind to proteins. Without an external reducing agent, melanin can convert ammonia silver nitrate solutions to metallic silver.

The Masson-Fontana stain does not just show melanin; it also enables the visualisation of other compounds with similar reduction-related features, such as argyrophilic granules and lipofuscin. The Masson-Fontana stain can be used for the differential diagnosis of hypomelanosis, for the distinguishing of brown pigments (lipofuscin, hemosiderin, and melanin), for the deposition of pigment owing to medications like Minocycline type II, and for these purposes. Following are some examples of colour made using the Masson-Fontana method:

• Black: Melanin

Black argyrophilic cellular granules

• black curtain liposuction products
• Red cores