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Mast cells are found in the connective tissue and their cytoplasm
contains granules (metachromatic) composed of heparin and histamine.
Toluidine blue should stain mast cells red-purple (metachromatic
staining) and the background blue (orthochromatic staining).
Metachromasia, tissue elements staining a different color from the
dye solution, is due to the pH, dye concentration and temperature of
the basic dye. Blue or violet dyes will show a red color shift, and
red dyes will show a yellow color shift with metachromatic tissue
elements.
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