Acidophilia
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Acidophilia is the ability to be stained by acid dyes. In histology, the term 'acidophilic' applies to various tissue and cellular elements that can be stained by eosin, acid fuchsin, picric acid and other acid dyes.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
ACIDOPHILIA (from Latin acidus - sour and Greek philia - love), synonym oxyphilia, the ability to be stained by acid dyes. In histology, the concept 'acidophilic' is applied to various tissue and cellular elements capable of being stained by eosin, acid fuchsin, picric acid and other acid dyes and are consequently also called eosinophilic, fuchsinophilic, etc. The cause of acidophilia of these elements lies partly in their chemical properties (alkalinity), but mainly in their physical properties (density, charge) and in the colloid-chemical properties of acid dyes (dispersity, molecular size). Acidophilic bacilli - see Bacteria.
Cite this page
“Acidophilia.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/acidophilia/