Plastic staining dishes are used to hold one or more microscope slides in a fixed position during the process of staining cells and tissue. Plastic dishes are more durable than lab glassware varieties because they don’t break as easily. The plastic may become permanently stained over time, however. Plastic staining dishes may have lids or be open.

Plastic staining dishes are available in a variety of forms:

• Coplin jars are square vessels with indentations on the inner surfaces into which five to ten microscope slides can be placed and the stain added; typically supplied with a screw cap