What is the purpose of the mordant in Gram staining?

A mordant is a substance that increases the affinity of the cell wall for a stain by binding to the primary stain, thus forming an insoluble complex, which gets trapped in the cell wall. In the Gram stain reaction, the CV and iodine form an insoluble complex (CV-I), which serves to turn the smear a dark purple color.

What purposes does a mordant serve?

A mordant or dye fixative is a substance used to set (i.e. bind) dyes on fabrics by forming a coordination complex with the dye, which then attaches to the fabric (or tissue). It may be used for dyeing fabrics or for intensifying stains in cell or tissue preparations.

What is the function of methylated spirits in the Gram stain process?

The alcohol dissolves lipids found in the outer cell membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, allowing the crystal violet-iodine complex to leak out of the thinner peptidoglycan layer.

What is the function of a mordant and which reagent serves this purpose?

Which reagent serves this purpose in the gram stain procedure? What is the function of a mordant? A mordant intensifies a stain or can be used to coat structures such as flagella for viewing. what type of cell, gram-positive or gram-negative, would you find lipopolysaccharide in its cell wall?

What is the mordant used in Gram stain?

Discuss the purpose of a mordant and list the mordant used in the Gram Stain? The mordant used is Iodine. It is added to chemically change the shape of the dye molecule and therefore trap it in the cell wall. Describe differences in staining as they pertain to the differences in the stucture of the cell wall.

What is the process of the Gram stain?

Describe the process of the Gram Stain? The procedure involves a primary dye which is added to the bacteria for a minute. Then a Mordant is added to chemically change the shape of the dype molecule and therefore trap it in the cell wall. A decolorizer is then used followed by a second dye in order to add contrast to the cells that lost their dye.

How is crystal violet used in Gram staining?

The process of Gram staining involves staining using crystal violet stain, setting the stain into the sample by using Gram’s iodine as a mordant. The causes the “crystal violet” to complex within the cell membrane/wall into crystalline salts (hence crystal violet).

What is the function of iodine in Gram staining?

Iodine mordant is used in Gram’s Staining. It is used to form Crystal Violet Iodine complex in cell, mostly in Gram positive bacterial cell because of thick peptidoglycan layer.