Introductory Microbiology (1+1)

Simple staining

• The coloration of bacteria by applying a single solution of stain to a fixed smear is termed simple staining. The fixed smear is flooded with a dye solution for a specified period of time, after which this solution is washed off with water and the slide is blotted dried. The cells usually stain uniformly. However, with some organisms, particularly when methylene blue is used, some granules in the interior of the cell may appear more deeply stained than the rest of the cell, indicating a different type of chemical substance.