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Crystal violet is used first to stain all bacteria purple. However, when you immerse the bacteria then in alcohol, alcohol affects the permeability of the peptidoglycan layer to crystal violet, blocking its exit from gram-positive cells. This way, gram-positive cells remain purple while gram-negative cells are colourless. Safranin red is then used as a counterstain to make the two types of bacteria more differentiable.

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What counter stain is used in gram staining?

safranin


What is the staining process for separating bacteria?

One common staining process for separating bacteria is the Gram staining method. This involves applying crystal violet, iodine, alcohol, and safranin to the bacterial sample. Gram-positive bacteria will retain the crystal violet stain, appearing purple, while Gram-negative bacteria will not retain it and will appear pink after the safranin counterstain.


Is carbol fuchsin the same as safranin?

No. safranin is the classic stain used in gram staining. Concentrated Carbol Fushin is mainly used for the ZN staining procedure to stain organisms such as Vibrio cholerae and Cryptosporidium. Diluted Carbol Fushin can however be used as a replacement counterstain for Safranin in the gram stain.


What color would the G- cell be if not counter stained with safranin?

The color of the G- cell would be transparent or colorless if not counterstained with safranin. Safranin is a red/pink dye used in the Gram staining process to distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, so without this counterstain, the G- cell would not have a visible color.


What is the function of crystal violet in the gram staining process?

Crystal violet is used in the Gram staining process to initially stain all bacteria purple. This helps differentiate between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria based on their ability to retain or lose the crystal violet dye during the staining process.


Why safranin is used in counter stain?

Safranin is used as a counterstain in Gram staining to colorize Gram-negative bacteria, as they do not retain the crystal violet primary stain. This allows for better contrast and differentiation of Gram-negative bacteria against the purple Gram-positive bacteria.


Describe the microscopic appearance of encapsulated streptococcus if stained with safranin?

Safranin (red) is used in gram staining and endospore staining as the secondary stain. Nigrosin is used in negative staining, staining only the background and not the bacteria. Therefore, the bacteria within the capsule would stain red from the safranin. (Like in endospore staining and negative gram staining, safranin would stain the bacteria red.) Nigrosin would stain the background of the organism just as it would in negative staining. Bacteria (within capsul): stained safranin red Capsule (outer layer of bacteria): clear Background of organism: stained dark with Nigrosin


What type of dye is used to stain the specimen when the acid-fast stain and the gram stain are used?

Both processes use 2 stains. The Gram staining process uses crystal violet as the primary stain and safranin as the secondary stain. Acid-fast staining uses carbol fuchsin as the primary and methylene blue as the secondary.


If one stained a gram-positive cell only with safranin?

If a gram-positive cell is stained only with safranin, it would likely appear pink or red under a microscope. This is because safranin is a counterstain used in the Gram staining procedure to colorize gram-negative bacteria, whereas gram-positive bacteria retain the crystal violet primary stain and appear purple.


What are the functionally analogous pair of stains?

Crystal violet and safranin are functionally analogous pair of stains in the Gram staining technique. Crystal violet stains gram-positive bacteria purple/blue, while safranin counterstains gram-negative bacteria pink/red.


What mordant is used in the process of gram staining?

The mordant used in the process of gram staining is called crystal violet.


What happens if not enough alcohol is applied to a gram stain?

Both bacteria types would be stained by the safranin. When the iodine is added, safranin would be "set" in the positive. The decolorizer would wash out the safranin and then application of the crystal violet would stain the negative.