What is the Difference Between Field Stain and Giemsa Stain

The main difference between Field stain and Giemsa stain is that Field stain stains blood smears whereas Giemsa stain stains nucleic acids.

Filed stain and Giemsa stain are two types of stains that stain microscopic slides in order to identify malarial parasites in blood smears.  

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Field Stain
     – Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Giemsa Stain
     – Definition, Characteristics, Importance
3. Similarities Between Field Stain and Giemsa Stain
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Field Stain and Giemsa Stain
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Field Stain, Giemsa Stain

What is Field Stain

Field stain is a stain that is important for stain blood smears. It is a histological method of staining blood smears. However, Filed stain stans thick blood smears. The main importance of Field stain is to stain malaria parasites. In addition, the other important feature of Filed stain is that it is useful for the rapid processing of the specimen. It is a type of Romanowsky stain. Another name for Romanowsky stain is Romanowsky–Giemsa staining, which is important for the microscopic examination of pathological specimens in order to differentiate cells.

Figure 1: Melanoma

Furthermore, Romanowsky-Giemsa stains are important for the staining of blood and bone marrow specimens. More importantly, they are important for the malaria parasites within the blood. In addition, the two parts of Filed stain are Field stain A and Field stain B. Here, Filed stain A contains methylene blue and Azure 1. Moreover, they are dissolved in a phosphate buffer solution. Field stain B, on the other hand, contains Eosin Y dissolved in a buffer solution. Meanwhile, the name of the Filed stain was from the physician John William Field in 1941.       

What is Giemsa Stain

Giemsa stain is a type of stain that is important for staining nucleic acids. It is important for the histopathological diagnosis of malarial parasites. Importantly, Giemsa stain is a form of Romanowsky stain, named after the German chemist Gustav Giemsa. Primarily, it is important for the demonstration of malarial parasites in blood smears. Generally, malaria parasites have a red or pink nucleus and blue cytoplasm with a Giemsa stain. P. vivax shows Schüffner dots are seen as an even carpet of pink dots in the cytoplasm of red blood cells. Meanwhile, P. falciparum shows unevenly distributed Maurer clefts and coarse bodies in the red cell cytoplasm.

Figure 1: Trypanosoma Parasite

Moreover, Giemsa stain is composed of a mixture of Azure B, Methylene blue, and Eosin dye. Of these, Azure B and eosin are acidic dyes, while methylene blue is the basic dye. The acidic dyes stain basic components of the cell, such as cytoplasm and cell granules, in pale colors. Meanwhile, basic dyes stain acidic components of the cell, such as the nucleus, in dark purple or blue. Further, concerning its applications, in histology, it is important for the routine examination of blood smears. Additionally, in cytogenetics, it is important for staining chromosomes and identifying chromosomal aberrations through G-banding (Giemsa-Banding).    

Similarities Between Field Stain and Giemsa Stain

• Field stain and Giemsa stain are two types of stains that stain microscopic slides.
• Both are important for the identification of malaria parasites in blood smears.

Difference Between Field Stain and Giemsa Stain

Definition

Field stain refers to a histological method for staining hematological specimens and, more particularly, blood smears, while Giemsa stain refers to a stain consisting of eosin and a blue dye and is used chiefly in the differential staining of blood films.

Staining

Field stain stains blood smears, while Giemsa stain stains nucleic acids.  

Ingredients

Moreover, Field stain contains Field stain A and Field stain B, while Giemsa stain contains azure B, methylene blue, and eosin dye.

Importance

Field stain is important in hematology and cytopathology, while Giemsa stain is important in cytogenetics.

Conclusion                                                                            

In brief, Field stain and Giemsa stain are two types of stains that stain malaria parasites. Generally, the Filed stain is important for the staining of blood smears. Therefore, Filed stain stains cells of the malaria parasites. It is also important in hematology and cytopathology. Giemsa stain is important for the staining of nucleic acids, which is important in cytogenetics. Filed stain contains Filed stain A and Field stain B, while Giemsa stains contain azure B and methylene blue. and eosin dye. However, the main difference between Field stain and Giemsa stain is the type of component staining.                                             

References:                

1. Field stain. Clinisciences. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
2. Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, November 28). Giemsa stain. Wikipedia. Retrieved December 19, 2022

Image Courtesy:

1. “Melanoma – cytology field stain” By Nephron – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Trypanosoma cruzi crithidia” By Myron G. Schultz – Own Work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia