Biology GCSE
staining
What staining means in Biology GCSE, as defined for OCR.
Definition of staining
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain staining in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: OCR
Adding a stain to a specimen adds contrast to colourless cells, with iodine staining plant starch blue-black and plant cytoplasm yellow-brown, while methylene blue highlights animal nuclei.
Topics that use staining
- Cell structures (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- approximation
- cell dimensions
- cell membranes
- chloroplasts
- estimation
- field of view
- light microscopy
- magnification calculation
Using staining in the exam
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