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17.1: Learning Objectives

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    40260

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    Learning Objectives

    After this lab you should be able to:

    1. Prepare a bacterial sample for staining.
    2. Perform a simple (single) stain on a slide you prepared.
    3. Identify the bacterial cell morphology and arrangement of the sample you stained.
    4. Define and distinguish between basic and acid stains.
    5. Properly use oil immersion, explain its use, and successfully clean the microscope after its use.
    Illustration of various bacterial shapes: cocci, bacilli, and spirilla, with labeled examples for each type.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Bacterial morphology diagram; by Mariana Ruiz LadyofHats. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bacterial_morphology_diagram.svg#/media/File:Bacterial_morphology_diagram.svg

    Bacteria are usually colorless. Many stain techniques have been developed to add contrast so that we can see them more easily via a light microscope. Staining helps us discover important information about bacteria. Although genetic methods have advanced and at times streamlined bacterial identification, it is still sometimes necessary, and is still common practice to stain a patient sample.

    This page titled 17.1: Learning Objectives was last modified on Sat, 16 May 2026 01:44:09 GMT and is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kelly C. Burke.