Dyes such as iodine and methylene blue increase contrast so cell parts are visible.
Stains: methylene blue (nuclei), iodine (starch), eosin, Gram stain, Sudan III (lipids). Differential staining separates cell types. Fluorescent dyes mark specific structures.
Stains bind specific molecules by charge or chemistry. Counterstains give contrast. Live cells may need vital stains. Staining can introduce artefacts.
Remember: fixation preserves structure before staining.
Dyes such as iodine and methylene blue increase contrast so cell parts are visible.
Staining Techniques is one of the 51 topics in Lab Methods & Biostatistics. It is rated Beginner, so it suits learners who are starting out in biology. Related topics in this area include Light Microscope, Electron Microscopy, Cell Fractionation.
Feulgen stain specifically detects DNA.
Staining Techniques is a Beginner topic, so no earlier topic is required. Other Beginner topics in Lab Methods & Biostatistics that pair well with it include Scientific Method, Hypothesis, Variables.
The closest topics to Staining Techniques are Light Microscope, Electron Microscopy, Cell Fractionation, Immunofluorescence. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Staining Techniques. To practise the whole of Lab Methods & Biostatistics, use the Lab Methods & Biostatistics quiz.
Staining Techniques: Dyes such as iodine and methylene blue increase contrast so cell parts are visible. Light Microscope: Uses lenses and visible light to magnify specimens up to about 1500 times. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Light Microscope and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Lab Methods & Biostatistics quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
Uses lenses and visible light to magnify specimens up to about 1500 times.
📊 Lab Methods & BiostatisticsTEM and SEM use electron beams to achieve resolution thousands of times better than light microscopes.
📊 Lab Methods & BiostatisticsHomogenising and centrifuging cells to separate organelles by density.
📊 Lab Methods & BiostatisticsFluorescent-labelled antibodies reveal the location of proteins in cells and tissues.
📊 Lab Methods & Biostatistics