CHAPTER 3 GUIDE - terms

Question 1

Inoculation

Answer 1

The implantation of microorganisms into or upon culture media.

Question 2

Incubation

Answer 2

To isolate a sample culture in a temperature-controlled environment to encourage growth.

Question 3

Isolation

Answer 3

The separation of microbial cells by serial dilution or mechanical dispersion on solid media to create discrete colonies.

Question 4

Pure culture

Answer 4

A container growing a single species of microbe whose identity is known.

Question 5

Microscopy

Answer 5

Science that studies structure, magnification, lenses, and techniques related to use of a microscope.

Question 6

Magnification

Answer 6

The ability to make objects appear enlarged.

Question 7

Resolution

Answer 7

The capacity of a microscope lens system to accurately distinguish between two separate entities that lie close to each other

Question 8

Condenser

Answer 8

A special lens that converges or focuses the rays of light to a single point on the object.

Question 9

Numerical aperture (NA)

Answer 9

In Microscopy, a measure of the light passing from the object and into the objective to maximize optical clarity and resolution.

Question 10

Wet mount

Answer 10

It consists of a drop or two of the culture placed on a slide and overlaid with a cover glass.

Question 11

Positive stain

Answer 11

Technique in which dye affixes to a specimen and imparts color to it. It takes advantage of the ready binding of bacterial cells to dyes.

Question 12

Negative stain

Answer 12

A staining technique that renders the background opaque or colored and leaves the object unstained so that it is outlined as a colorless area.

Question 13

Simple stain

Answer 13

Type of positive staining technique that uses a single dye to add color to cells so that they are easier to see. This technique tends to color all cells the same color.

Question 14

Differential stain

Answer 14

A technique that utilizes two dyes to distinguish between different microbial groups or cell parts by color reaction.

Question 15

Hans Christian Gram

Answer 15

He discovered a staining technique that could be used to make bacteria in infectious specimens more visible.

Question 16

Gram-positive

Answer 16

A color reaction of the cells which stained purple.

Question 17

Gram-negative

Answer 17

A color reaction of the cells which stained red.

Question 18

Acid-fast stain

Answer 18

It is another commonly used differential stain. This stain originated as a specific method to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis in specimens

Question 19

capsule stain

Answer 19

It is a method of observing the microbial capsule, an unstructured protective layer surrounding the cells of some bacteria and fungi.

Question 20

Culture

Answer 20

The visible accumulation of microorganisms in or on a nutrient medium. Also, the propagation of microorganisms with various media.

Question 21

Subculture

Answer 21

To make a second-generation culture from a well-established colony of organisms.

Question 22

Medium/media

Answer 22

A nutrient used to grow organisms outside of their natural habitats.

Question 23

Colony

Answer 23

A growth of bacteria cell on a surface.

Question 24

Morphology

Answer 24

The study of organismic structure.

Question 25

Streak plate

Answer 25

Cells are spread over separate areas on the surface so that they can form individual colonies.

Question 26

Spread plate

Answer 26

A small volume of liquid from the diluted sample is pipetted onto the surface of the medium and spread around evenly by a Sterile spreading tool.

Question 27

Serial dilution

Answer 27

Mechanical dispersion on solid media to create discrete colonies.

Question 28

General media

Answer 28

They are designed to grow a broad spectrum of microbes that do not have special growth requirements.

Question 29

Selective media

Answer 29

It contains one or more agents that inhibit the growth of a certain microbe or microbes.

Question 30

Differential media

Answer 30

A single substrate that discriminates between groups of microorganisms on the basis of differences in their appearance due to different chemical reactions.

Question 31

Enrichment media

Answer 31

A nutrient medium supplemented with blood, serum, or some growth factor to promote the multiplication of fastidious microorganisms.

Question 32

Growth factors

Answer 32

An organic compound such as a vitamin or amino acid that must be provided in the diet to facilitate growth. An essential nutrient.

Question 33

Fastidious

Answer 33

An organism that will only grow when specific nutrients are included in its diet that are included in its culture.