Why do we have to stain cells under microscopes?

Most cells are transparent. This is a natural consequence of their high proportion of water in their volume. Additionally, structures within cells are usually transparent. read more

The best-known stain is the Gram Stain, which allows us to detect the pressence of an intermediate cell wall in certain bacteria, otherwise invisible under no staining. Immunofluorescence is the ultimate type of staining, in which specific antibodies labelled with fluorescent molecules target certain proteins in the cell. read more

Microscope cell staining is a technique used to enable better visualization of cells and cell parts under the microscope. By using different stains, a nucleus or a cell wall are easier to view. Most stains can be used on non-living (fixed) cells, while only some types of stain can be used on living cells. read more

Stains and dyes are frequently used in biology and medicine to highlight structures in biological tissues for viewing, often with the aid of different microscopes. Stains may be used to define and examine bulk tissues (highlighting, for example, muscle fibers or connective tissue), cell populations (classifying different blood cells, for instance), or organelles within individual cells. read more