Argentaffin

Argentaffin refers to cells which take up silver stain. Enteroendocrine cells are sometimes also called "argentaffins", because they take up this stain. An argentaffin cell is any enteroendocrine cell, a hormone-secreting cell present throughout the digestive tract. It is a property of melanin, and special stain can be applied to identify those granules. Fontana-Masson stain uses the fact that those cells can reduce the silver salts to metallic silver (brownish-black) color without the aid of reducing agent, which is the definition of Argentaffin cells.

Argentaffin

Argentaffin refers to cells which take up silver stain. Enteroendocrine cells are sometimes also called "argentaffins", because they take up this stain. An argentaffin cell is any enteroendocrine cell, a hormone-secreting cell present throughout the digestive tract. It is a property of melanin, and special stain can be applied to identify those granules. Fontana-Masson stain uses the fact that those cells can reduce the silver salts to metallic silver (brownish-black) color without the aid of reducing agent, which is the definition of Argentaffin cells.