A Review of Lipid Histochemistry

Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Ishokare Philip Oghenerunor, Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria, E-mail: [email protected]

Received Date: November 17, 2025

Published Date: December 19, 2025

Citation: Oghenerunor IP, et al. (2025). A Review of Lipid Histochemistry. Mathews J Case Rep. 10(5):215.

Copyrights: Oghenerunor IP, et al. © (2025).

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Lipid histochemistry is a specialized branch of histology that focuses on the identification, localization, and characterization of lipids within biological tissues. Lipids, which include neutral fats, phospholipids, glycolipids, and sterols, play essential roles in cellular structure, energy metabolism, and signaling pathways. Aim: The general objective is to critically examine and synthesize existing literature on lipid histochemistry with the aim of evaluating traditional methods, recent advances, and future perspectives in the visualization and characterization of lipids within biological tissues. Search Strategy: This review followed a comprehensive literature search which was conducted across four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search covered studies published from January 1, 2018, to May 2025. Search terms included various combinations and Boolean operators of keywords such as: "lipid histochemistry", "histological staining of lipids", "lipid visualization techniques", "lipid droplet detection", "Sudan stain", "Oil Red O", "Nile Red", "immunohistochemistry and lipids", "CARS microscopy", and "fluorescent lipid staining". Filters were applied to limit the results to peer-reviewed journal articles in English that provided original experimental data or review-level analyses on histochemical methods for lipid detection. Results: From the systematic search spanning 2018 to 2025, the analysis yielded a broad but thematically coherent body of studies that collectively deepened our understanding of lipid histochemistry. What emerged most clearly was the progressive refinement of techniques that not only detect lipids but also distinguish between their diverse classes neutral fats, phospholipids, glycolipids, and complex derivatives within intact tissues. Conclusion: Despite these advances, several challenges remain. Standardization across laboratories, particularly for novel fluorescence-based or AI-assisted methods, is still lacking. Differences in tissue preparation protocols, staining duration, lipid solubility during fixation, and data interpretation methodologies continue to introduce variability that can hinder reproducibility and clinical translation.

Keywords: Histochemistry, Lipids, Stains, Lipid Localization, Diagnosis, Medical.