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Slight heating helps in fixing the cells on to the surface of the glass slide

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Q: Why must smear on the slide be completely dry before heat fixation?
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Do not pass the slide over the flame when the smear is not yet completely dry why?

You will cook it!


Give the reason for passing bacterial smear through the flame before staining?

It dries the smear and fixes the cells to the slide


During the performance of the simple staining procedure you failed to heat fix your EColi smear preparation Upon microscopic examination how would you expect this slide to differ from correct slide?

The bacterial smear will wash away during the staining procedure. This is avoided by heat fixation, during which the bacterial proteins are coagulated and fixed to the glass surface.


Steps in making a smear?

Smear is one of the forms in which organisms are viwed under the light microscope in microbiology, the other form is as wet mounts, remember that smear is used to view killed organisms the steps in making smear are as follow: 1-Get a grease free slide and a wire loop. 2-sterilize the wire loop by flaming. 3-deep the wire loop in a normal saline. 4-touch the slide with the wire loop, there will be a drop of normal saline on the slide. 4-sterilize the wire loop again and touch a small part of a colony in petri dish, then mix it with the normal saline on the slide. 5-allow it to air dry. 6-pass it through an open flame three times(heat fixation). Then view under the microscopes. The heat fixation is done in order to: 1-to fix the smear to the slide. 2-to kill the organism 3-to alter the organism so that it can accept stain readily.


What is the purpose of fixing the smear?

Heat fixing a smear kills the bacteria with minimal distortion, allows for better staining, and firmly affixes the bacteria to the slide. Chemical fixing is used to preserve fine cellular structures and might stop internal processes in place, protect the cell from damage, or strengthen the cell's structure.


What happens if you add too much water to a smear slide?

The slide can get damaged.


Why must slides used in smear preparations be grease free?

The smear will not adhere well if there is grease on the slide.


Why do you air-dry a smear?

To avoid denaturing and destroying the smear.


What happens if you don't heat fix a smear prior to staining of a bacterial slide?

smear will be washed( no smear will be left on the slide)


How do you fix a microbiology slide?

In order to heat fix your microbe to your slide - you need to let your smear air dry. Once it is completely air dried. Pass the slide 2 or 3 times quickly over an open flame like a Bunsen burner. This does three things, 1. Kills the bacteria 2. Firmly affixes the smear to the microscope slide. 3. Allows the sample to more readily take up the stain.


Is presence of grease or dirt on a glass slide going to result in poor smear preparation?

The smear will not adhere well if there is grease on the slide.


What is another name for a slide that has no liquid or cover slip?

Another name for a slide that has no liquid or cover slip is a dry smear or a dry mount. It is usually used to examine blood.