Fluorescent Staining Method

Laboratories have various methods for looking at cultures, blood samples, and DNA. One such method is the fluorescent staining method. By using the correct types of stains, biological information can be isolated and studied more thoroughly.

Definition

• Fluorescent cell staining is used to visualize and differentiate material being viewed on a lab slide. The material being viewed can result in different types of fluorescent stains. By using different fluorescent stains materials such as cells, cell components, fungi, spores and bacteria can be viewed separately. Tissues of living and non living cells can also be looked at.

Use

• Fluorescent staining is used to view samples more clearly, to isolate certain components, and to differentiate between parts of a cell. According to the Rice Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering, one such example would be isolating the nuclei of a cell from other cell parts.

Steps in Flourescent Staining

• The sample cell, DNA, fungi or other materials, such as bacteria, area placed on a slide. The proper fluorescent stain is added with a dropper to the slide. The fluorescent stained slide can then be viewed under a microscope.

Types of Flourescent Stains

• Different types of fluorescent stains are used to view different biological components. Some of these dye stains include: Hematoxylin which is used to isolate nuclei; Eosin which isolates the rest of the cell; Fuchsin, which stains collagen or smooth muscle cells; Von Kossa Stain, which shows calcification in tissue cells; Rhodamine which isolates proteins; and Malachite green, used to stain bacteria and spores. There are many additional fluorescent stains used for various purposes.