a white, odorless, crystalline solid with the chemical formula AgNO3. It is a versatile precursor to many other silver compounds, such as those used in photography. It is far less sensitive to light than the halides. In addition, it is relatively stable to light, and it dissolves in numerous solvents, including water. In histology, silver nitrate is used for silver staining, for demonstrating reticular fibers, proteins and nucleic acids