Simple staining is a staining technique used to make bacterial cells more visible under a microscope. It involves using only one stain on the slide, which colors all cells the same color without differentiation of cell types or structures/04%3A_Staining_Techniques/4.01%3A_Introduction_to_Staining). The purpose of staining is to increase the contrast between the organisms and the background so that they are more readily seen in the light microscope. Simple stains can be used to determine a bacterial species’ morphology and arrangement, but they do not give any additional information/04%3A_Staining_Techniques/4.01%3A_Introduction_to_Staining).
Some stains commonly used for simple staining include crystal violet, safranin, and methylene blue/01%3A_Labs/1.09%3A_Simple_Stain)/04%3A_Staining_Techniques/4.01%3A_Introduction_to_Staining). Basic stains, such as methylene blue, Gram safranin, or Gram crystal violet, are useful for staining most bacteria. These stains will readily give up a hydroxide ion or accept a hydrogen ion, which leaves the stain positively charged. Since the surface of most bacterial cells is negatively charged, these positively charged stains adhere readily to the cell surface.
In summary, simple staining is a quick and easy staining technique that uses only one stain to color all cells the same color, making them more visible under a microscope. It is useful for determining a bacterial species’ morphology and arrangement, but it does not provide any additional information.
