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Test ID: Jones Stain
Jones Stain
Useful For

Demonstrating the basement membrane of the glomerulus in the kidney.

Method name and description

Jones-Methenamine  Silver  is  a modification  of Grocott’s Methenamine  Silver  Nitrate method  in  which  aldehyde  groups are uncovered  by periodic  acid and subsequently reduce  the alkaline  methenamine  silver  to black  metallic  silver  demonstrating  basement membranes,  especially  in  the  renal  glomeruli. The  periodic  acid  oxidizes  the  carbohydrate  components  of the  basement  membrane which  produce  aldehydes.  The  released  aldehydes  reduce  the silver  to visible metallic silver.

Reporting name

Jones stain

Specimen type / Specimen volume / Specimen container

Specimen type:  Any well-fixed tissue in 10% neutral buffered formalin.

Specimen volume/ Specimen container:  Submit 3-4 µm paraffin embedded tissue section mounted on a clean glass slide.

Storage and transport instructions
  • Slides are stored in slide box at room temperature.
  • Follow your local regulation shipping guidelines.
Specimen Rejection Criteria
  • Broken slides
  • Unlabeled slides with patient/case identification
  • Contaminated slides
  • Slides/Paraffin blocks mismatch
Factors affecting test performance and result interpretation
  • Specimen fixation. Well-fixed specimens can produce consistent chemical and physical characteristics in tissue sections which allows patterns to be observed, morphological and chemical changes to be noted and comparisons made. These observations allow view of a dynamic ever-changing environment “fixed” at a particular point in time and may enable a histopathological diagnosis.
  • Paraffin section thickness. Microscopic analysis of cells and tissues requires the preparation of very thin, high quality sections (3-4 µm) mounted on a clean glass slides and appropriately stained to demonstrate normal and abnormal structures.
Turnaround time / Days and times test performed / Specimen retention time

Turnaround time: 3 hours

Days and times test performed: Once daily (Sunday to Thursday @0700-1500) 

      Note: Request received after 1100H will be run/stained the following working day.

Specimen retention time: 10 years