staining samples

• Light microscope


  Beam of light passes through the object being viewed
• Image produced in light microscope

  • Some parts of the object absorb more light than others
  • Object can be completely transparent
• Object is completely transparent


  The whole thing looks white because the light rays just pass straight through
• To get contrast in light microscope

  1. Object can be stained

  2. Using dyes called stains

  3. Common stains include methylene blue and eosin

  4. Stain is taken up by some parts of the object more than others

  5. Contrast between heavily stained and more lightly stained parts
• Stains

  Allow different parts of cells to be seen
• Different stains can be used to make particular parts of cells show up
• It's possible to use more than one stain at once