Histological techniques for tissue collagen analysis: an integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: Collagen is responsible for providing mechanical strength, elasticity, and cohesion to tissues, in addition to participating in vital biological processes, such as wound healing, tissue regeneration, and remodeling in response to injuries or diseases. Its presence and variations are important indicators of pathological processes, being fundamental in the diagnosis and prognosis of several clinical conditions. Objective: To synthesize the main histological techniques used in the analysis of tissue collagen described in the literature. Materials and methods: Integrative literature review, carried out through a bibliographic search in May 2024 in the SciElo, Lilacs, and PubMed databases. Articles published between January 2019 and May 2024 that met the previously defined selection criteria were included. Results: At first, 4578 records were identified. After initial selection and subsequent full reading, 25 articles were eligible for analysis and data extraction. There was a greater number of studies published in 2020, followed by 2019 and 2021, with a predominance of the English language. Regarding the study model and sample tissue, these were heterogeneous in the included publications. Regarding the nature of the histological technique, the majority used the joint analysis of morphology and morphometry, followed, respectively, by morphometry and morphology used alone. The most commonly used tissue stains were Sirius Red, followed by Masson's Trichrome. Conclusion: There was considerable diversity regarding the type of sample, tissue evaluated and analysis method, with no clear predominance or preference.