basic stain

ba·sic stain

a dye in which the cation is the colored component of the dye molecule that binds to anionic groups of nucleic acids (PO₄^Ξ) or acidic mucopolysaccharides (for example, chondroitin sulfate).

ba·sic stain

(bā'sik stān)

A dye in which the cation is the colored component of the dye molecule that binds to anionic groups of nucleic acids (PO₄≡) or acidic mucopolysaccharides.

basic stain

A chemical used to add pigment to the nuclear or acidic components of cells.

See also: stain

stain

1. a substance used to impart color to tissues or cells, to facilitate microscopic study and identification.

2. an area of discoloration of the skin.

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acid stain

a stain in which the coloring agent is in the acid radical.

basic stain

a stain in which the coloring agent is in the basic radical.

carbol fuschin stain

used to stain some gram-negative bacteria, including Campylobacter fetus.

Castaneda's stain

a technique for demonstrating chlamydial elementary bodies, using formol blue and safranine.

Diene's stain

one containing methylene blue, maltose and azure II, used for staining mycoplasmal microcolonies.

differential stain

one which facilitates differentiation of various elements in a specimen.

hematoxylin and eosin stain

a staining method employed universally for routine histological examination of tissue sections.

India ink stain

used to demonstrate capsules on Cryptococcus neoformans and some bacterial species.

lambing stain

staining of the breech and back of the udder of a ewe caused by the passage of the fetal fluids and then the lochia. Used as a guide to whether or not the ewe has lambed and perhaps lost her lamb.

Macchiavello stain

a basic fuscin solution for staining chlamydial elementary bodies.

metachromatic stain

one that produces in certain elements color different from that of the stain itself.

methanamine silver stain

stains fungal elements in tissue a dark brown.

new methylene blue stain

a metachromatic dye used for staining blood, vaginal smears, and tissue samples for cytological examination. Particularly useful in demonstrating reticulocytes.

Newman's stain

used on smears of milk for demonstrating organisms in mastitis.

nigrosin stain

an aniline dye used in wet mounts to demonstrate capsules, especially with cryptococcusneoformans.

nuclear stain

one that selectively stains cell nuclei, generally a basic stain.

ophthalmic stain

used in the diagnosis of diseases of the eye, e.g. fluorescein and rose bengal dyes.

supravital stain

a stain introduced in living tissue or cells that have been removed from the body.

tumor stain

an area of increased density in a radiograph, due to collection of contrast material in distorted and abnormal vessels, prominent in the capillary and venous phases of arteriography, and presumed to indicate neoplasm.

vital stain

a stain introduced into the living organism, and taken up selectively by various tissue or cellular elements. Often used to determine the live/dead cell ratio in a cell population.

Wright's stain

a mixture of eosin and methylene blue, used for demonstrating blood cells.

Ziehl-Neelsen stain

one of carbol fuchsin counterstained with methylene blue; used to demonstrate acid-fast organisms, especially Mycobacterium spp., in smears and tissues. A modified method using mild acid to decolorize is used for staining Brucella spp. and Nocardia asteroides. See also acid-fast.