Oil Red O Stain Service: Detect Lipids in Frozen Tissue with Precision

At iHisto, we provide expert Oil Red O staining to visualize neutral lipids — including triglycerides and cholesterol esters — in frozen tissue sections. Our optimized protocol delivers high-contrast lipid detection for studies in metabolism, cardiovascular health, and toxicology.

🧪 Overview

Oil Red O is a fat-soluble dye that highlights lipid droplets in fresh frozen tissues while preserving tissue architecture. It’s essential for assessing:

• Fatty liver disease (NAFLD/NASH)

• Atherosclerotic plaques

• High-fat diet effects

• Drug-induced hepatotoxicity

• Muscle lipid infiltration and adipocyte mapping

Unlike paraffin staining, Oil Red O avoids solvents that dissolve lipids, enabling direct detection of intracellular fat.

🎯 How Oil Red O Staining Works

Oil Red O selectively stains neutral lipids red while other components remain unstained or are counterstained for contrast.

Color Results:

• Lipid droplets → red

• Nuclei → blue (hematoxylin counterstain)

• Background → pale or unstained

The result is sharp visual differentiation of lipid-rich regions in cryosections.

🧬 Step-by-Step Staining Process

1. Tissue Preparation
   Fresh or snap-frozen tissue is embedded in OCT and sectioned at 8–12 µm on a cryostat.

2. Fixation
   Sections are fixed in formalin or paraformaldehyde (no alcohol).

3. Oil Red O Staining
   Slides are incubated in Oil Red O working solution for 10–20 minutes.

4. Counterstaining
   Hematoxylin is applied to highlight nuclei.

5. Aqueous Mounting
   Water-based mounting media is used to preserve fat integrity.

⚠️ Not compatible with paraffin sections, as lipids are removed during dehydration.

🧊 Our Optimized Cryohistology Workflow 

To ensure consistent lipid detection, we use a controlled cold workflow:

• Precision cryostat sectioning (8–12 µm)

• Cold formalin vapor fixation to maintain morphology

• Aqueous-based staining and mounting to retain lipid structure

• Optional digital slide imaging with lipid quantification support

All frozen tissues are handled with care to avoid distortion or freeze-artifacts.

🔬 Applications of Oil Red O Staining 

Common research uses include:

• NAFLD/NASH studies – quantifying hepatic lipid accumulation

• Atherosclerosis research – detecting lipid-rich plaques

• Obesity and metabolic disorder models

• Preclinical toxicology – drug-induced lipid buildup

• Adipose and muscle lipid analysis – fat distribution mapping

Oil Red O remains the gold standard for frozen-tissue lipid visualization.

✅ Why Choose iHisto 

• ✅ Consistent and vivid lipid droplet staining

• ✅ Works with liver, heart, aorta, muscle, adipose, and more

• ✅ Compatible with hematoxylin counterstaining

• ✅ High-resolution slide scanning and secure cloud delivery

• ✅ Optional fat scoring or annotation by expert pathologists

We support researchers in metabolic biology, cardiovascular science, and toxicology.

❓ FAQs 

• What does Oil Red O stain detect?
  Neutral lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol esters) in frozen tissues only.

• Can this stain be used on paraffin sections?
  No — lipids are dissolved during paraffin processing, so fresh frozen sections are required.

• Which tissues are commonly stained?
  Liver, adipose, aorta, skeletal muscle, and kidney.

• Can I receive digitized slides?
  Yes — we offer whole-slide scanning with secure delivery via HistoCloud or encrypted USB.

📩 Request a Quote or Consultation

Whether you're studying fat accumulation, cardiovascular disease, or lipid toxicity, iHisto delivers reliable Oil Red O staining with fast turnaround and expert support.

👉 Request a Quote or email info@ihisto.io