Fontana Masson Stain Service: Detect Melanin and Argentaffin Granules with Precision 

At iHisto, we offer high-quality Fontana Masson staining to visualize melanin pigment and argentaffin granules in tissue sections. This silver-based stain delivers sharp contrast and high specificity, ideal for pigmentation disorders, neuroendocrine tumors, and GI pathology.

🧪 Overview 

The Fontana Masson stain is a silver nitrate-based histochemical technique that detects:

• Melanin in skin, mucosa, or pigmented tumors

• Argentaffin granules in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine cells

• Neurosecretory products in endocrine tissues

iHisto’s optimized workflow ensures:

• Strong silver deposition at target sites

• Clean background with minimal nonspecific staining

• Excellent slide reproducibility and digital compatibility

This stain is widely used in dermatopathology, GI biopsies, and neuroendocrine tumor studies.

⚙️ How It Works 

The Fontana Masson technique utilizes the argentaffin reaction, in which specific tissue elements reduce silver nitrate to metallic silver without an external reducer.

What it stains:

• Melanin → black

• Argentaffin granules (e.g., serotonin-rich EC cells) → black

• Nuclei → red (with nuclear fast red)

• Background → pink to red

This provides high visual contrast, allowing precise identification of pigmented or neuroendocrine elements.

🧬 Step-by-Step Staining Process 

1. Fixation and Sectioning
   Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues are sectioned at 4–6 µm.

2. Deparaffinization and Hydration
   Slides are passed through xylene and alcohol into distilled water.

3. Silver Nitrate Application
   Silver nitrate solution is applied; tissue-bound elements reduce it to black metallic silver.

4. Toning and Fixation
   Gold chloride tones the stain; sodium thiosulfate fixes the silver to prevent background deposition.

5. Counterstaining and Coverslipping
   Nuclear fast red or light green is used to highlight nuclei and background, followed by dehydration and mounting.

🔬 Applications of Fontana Masson Staining 

This stain supports diagnosis and research in pigmentation, GI endocrine cells, and melanocytic tumors.

Common use cases include:

• Melanoma confirmation — detect melanin in primary or metastatic tumors

• GI enteroendocrine cell analysis — identify argentaffin cells

• Carcinoid and neuroendocrine tumor studies

• Pigmentation disorders — vitiligo, albinism, or hyperpigmentation

• Adrenal and pituitary analysis — visualize neurosecretory materials

✅ Why Choose iHisto’s Fontana Masson Staining 

• ✅ Clear, high-contrast melanin and argentaffin detection

• ✅ Minimal background from optimized silver processing

• ✅ Digitally scannable slides with optional cloud delivery

• ✅ Compatible with both human and animal tissues

• ✅ Optional pathologist interpretation for diagnostic or research needs

Our team ensures reliable results for every slide — whether you're analyzing pigment, serotonin, or tumor-related deposits.

❓ FAQs

• What does Fontana Masson stain detect?
  Melanin, argentaffin granules (like serotonin), and neurosecretory material in tissues.

• How is it different from other silver stains?
  It highlights naturally argentaffin elements without external reducers, unlike reticulin or methenamine silver stains.

• Is it used in melanoma diagnostics?
  Yes — it’s frequently used to confirm melanin in pigmented skin tumors and metastatic lesions.

• Can slides be scanned?
  Absolutely. All stained slides can be digitized in high resolution and securely delivered via HistoCloud or external storage.

📩 Request a Quote or Consultation 

iHisto provides expert Fontana Masson staining for clinical and research applications in dermatology, gastroenterology, and oncology. From precision staining to digital delivery, we ensure quality every step of the way.

👉 Request a Quote or email info@ihisto.io