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periodic acid Schiff stain

(Science: technique) A histochemical technique based on periodic acid oxidation of a substance containing the 1,2-glycol grouping.

It is used for staining carbohydrates as the resulting dialdehyde reacts with Schiff reagent to form a coloured product.

Substances that can be demonstrated include carbohydrates, mucins, cartilage matrix, collagen, reticulum, basement membranes, fibrin, thyroid colloid, amyloid, glomerular hyaline deposits, and a number of other secretions or tissue constituents.

Also used in for staining gels on which glycoproteins have been run.

See: periodic acid Schiff reaction

Synonym: pAS stain.