Hydrochloric Acid 1 %

Hydrochloric acid 1% is a dilute solution of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in water used in histology for various applications. Its main application is to act as a differentiating agent in various stains.
1. Differentiation: In some cases, hydrochloric acid can be used to remove excess dye or to differentiate the stain to achieve a clearer representation of the various cell structures. For example, in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, hydrochloric acid can be used to differentiate the hematoxylin stain by removing excess hematoxylin, allowing better delineation of cell nuclei.
2. Decalcification at the incision: at a low concentration of 1%, hydrochloric acid can be used to remove calcium deposits directly on tissue sections. This softens the tissue and facilitates staining of the structures.
3. pH adjustment: Hydrochloric acid can also be used to adjust the pH of staining solutions or buffers to achieve the optimal conditions for a particular staining method.