This process may involve immersing the sample (before or after fixation or mounting) in a dye solution and then rinsing and observing the sample under a microscope. Staining - application of stain to a sample to color cells, tissues, components, or metabolic processes.Thin sections (slices) of material such as tissue may also be applied to a microscope slide for observation. Cells may either be grown directly to the slide or loose cells can be applied to a slide using a sterile technique. Mounting - involves attaching samples to a glass microscope slide for observation and analysis.Common fixatives include formaldehyde, ethanol, methanol, and/or picric acid. This process may involve several steps, but most fixation procedures involve adding a chemical fixative that creates chemical bonds between proteins to increase their rigidity. Fixation - serves to "fix" or preserve cell or tissue morphology through the preparation process.Permeabilization - treatment of cells, generally with a mild surfactant, which dissolves cell membranes in order to allow larger dye molecules to enter inside the cell.One or more of the following procedures may be required to prepare a sample: How Are Cells Stained and Slides Prepared?Ĭell staining techniques and preparation depend on the type of stain and analysis used. Cells may also be enumerated by staining cells to determine biomass in an environment of interest. Cells may also be stained to highlight metabolic processes or to differentiate between live and dead cells in a sample. The most basic reason that cells are stained is to enhance visualization of the cell or certain cellular components under a microscope. Most stains can be used on fixed, or non-living cells, while only some can be used on living cells some stains can be used on either living or non-living cells. By using different stains, one can preferentially stain certain cell components, such as a nucleus or a cell wall, or the entire cell. Photo courtesy of the Public Health Image Library.Ĭell staining is a technique that can be used to better visualize cells and cell components under a microscope. This Giemsa stained micrograph depicts an example of a slightly acidic slide that yielded a pink colored resultant stain.
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