[[File:Histopathology of signet ring cell carcinoma of urinary bladder on mucicarmine stain.jpg|thumb|Histopathology of signet ring cell carcinoma of urinary bladder on mucicarmine stain, coloring the mucin within tumor cells pink/red.]] '''Mucicarmine stain''' is a staining procedure used for different purposes. In microbiology the stain aids in the identification of a variety of microorganisms based on whether or not the cell wall stains intensely red. Generally this is limited to microorganisms with a cell wall that is composed, at least in part, of a polysaccharide component. One of the organisms that is identified using this staining technique is ''Cryptococcus neoformans''.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Lazcano |first=O |date=Jan 1993|title=Combined histochemical stains in the differential diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans. |journal=Modern Pathology |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=80–4 |pmid=7678937}}</ref>
Another use is in surgical pathology where it can identify mucin. This is helpful, for example, in determining if the cancer is a type that produces mucin.
Example would be to distinguish between high grade Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the parotid, which stains positive vs Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the parotid which does not. ==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mucicarmine Stain}} {{Pathology-stub}} Category:Carbohydrate methods Category:Staining dyes