Azure B-eosin APAAP staining: a method for simultaneous hematological and immunological cell analysis.

Azure B-eosin APAAP staining allows simultaneous analysis of peripheral blood and bone marrow cells for hematological characteristics and immunological cell marker profiles. A defined sequence of staining procedures maintains characteristic components of the Romanowsky-Giemsa stain whereas cell antigens can be detected immunologically using the alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) detection system. Antigens are visualized by the staining product of the substrate-naphthol AS GR phosphate and variamine blue salt. The usefulness of the azure B-eosin APAAP method was demonstrated on blood and bone marrow smears of patients with various hematological disorders.