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If your talking about Acid Fast staining (aka Ziehl-Neelsen staining), after the addition of the primary stain (carbol fuchsin) heat is applied in order to facilitate proper staining. Bacteria such as Mycobacterium contain large amounts of lipid substances within their cell wall called mycolic acids. These acids resist staining by ordinary methods such as gram staining (where heat is not applied after primary staining). On application of heat, the stain carbol fuschin penetrates the cell wall and stains the cells pink. Following the secondary staining (methylene blue) the acid fast positive cells appear pink while others are stained blue.

Endospore staining is yet another staining technique where heat is applied after primary staining (malachite green). In this case the spores are impermeable to stains, hence heating favours proper permeation of stain. Endospores appear green while vegetative cells appear red (secondary stain saffranine).

Not all staining procedures involve applying heat after primary staining. However, heat is applied before even beginning the staining procedure. This is called heat fixing, where the cells are fixed so that they are not washed away during the subsequent washing steps.

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Related Questions

What is the primary stain used in Gram staining?

The primary stain used in Gram staining is crystal violet.


What is the importance of iodine after primary stain?

Iodine is used after the primary stain in the Gram stain procedure to form a complex with the crystal violet dye, which helps to stabilize the dye within the bacterial cell wall. This step enhances the retention of the primary stain in Gram-positive bacteria.


Is crystal violet considered a primary stain in the Gram staining technique?

Yes, crystal violet is considered a primary stain in the Gram staining technique.


What mordant is used in spore staining?

Heat is the mordant used in the spore stain, it fixes the primary stain.


Why counterstain is called as counterstain?

Counterstain is called as such because it is used in staining techniques to provide contrast to the primary stain. It helps visualize certain structures or cells that may not have been adequately stained with the primary stain. The counterstain is typically a contrasting color to the primary stain, hence the name counterstain.


What is the purpose of the crystal violet in the gram stain procedure?

Its the primary stain of the procedure. IT stains the Gram positive organisms


Why is it essential that the primary stain and the counterstain be of contrasting colors?

Using contrasting colors for the primary stain and counterstain helps differentiate between different types of cells or structures under the microscope. This contrast makes it easier to visualize and distinguish between different elements within a sample, aiding in the identification and analysis of the specimen.


What if You did not apply heat during the application of the primary stain?

Without heat, the primary stain may not penetrate the cell wall properly, leading to poor staining results. Heat helps to enhance the penetration of the stain into the bacterial cells, improving the visibility of the stain under the microscope. Thus, not applying heat during the application of the primary stain may result in weaker staining and difficulty in observing the bacterial cells.


What is the secondary stain in gram stain procedure?

It is crystal violet & stains all cells purple.


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.


How do you take stain out of antique baby dress?

Simply you can use some stain removal that available in markets. Or try hot water. Hot water is primary good stain removal process.


What is the purpose of crystal violet in the Gram's stain procedure?

Crystal violet is the primary stain in the Gram's stain procedure, used to color all bacteria cells purple. This helps differentiate between Gram-positive bacteria (which retain the violet color) and Gram-negative bacteria (which lose the violet color when decolorized with alcohol).