metachromasia

1. The condition in which a cell or tissue component takes on a color different from the dye solution with which it is stained. SYN: metachromatism (2). 2. A change in the characteristic color of certain basic thiazine dyes, such as toluidine blue, when the dye molecules are bound in proximate array to tissue polyanionic polymers, such as glycosaminoglycans. [meta- + G. chroma, color]

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meta·chro·ma·sia .met-ə-krō-'mā-zh(ē-)ə n

1) the property of various tissues of staining in a different color (as when treatment with a blue aniline dye makes a cellular element red)

2) the property of various biologic stains that permits a single dye to stain different tissue elements in different colors

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(metachromatism)

n.

1. the property of a dye of staining certain tissues or cells a colour that is different from that of the stain itself.

2. the variation in colour produced in certain tissue elements that are stained with the same dye.

3. abnormal coloration of a tissue produced by a particular stain.

• metachromatic adj.

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meta·chro·ma·sia (met″ə-kro-maґzhə) [meta- + Gr. chrōma color] 1. a condition in which tissues do not stain true with a given stain. 2. staining in which the same stain colors different tissues in different tints. 3. the change of color produced by staining.