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mushroomexplorer

Registered: 04/05/10
Posts: 358
Loc: WA
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Microscope stains
#15892344 - 03/02/12 08:45 PM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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I was wondering what stains people here like the best. Thanks for any input.
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The Lightning
Mycology Enthusiast


Registered: 09/06/11
Posts: 3,889
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1 drop of congo red with a few drops of 5% koh
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Amanita virosa
botanist by day



Registered: 12/04/11
Posts: 2,458
Loc: north kakalacky
Last seen: 6 months, 16 days
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Myc or spores? if your staining mycelium, lactophenol blue works great. Lugol's (iodine) also works for both spores and myc.
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mushroomexplorer

Registered: 04/05/10
Posts: 358
Loc: WA
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For examining cystidia, I find I do not need stains for examining spores they are very visible regardless.
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Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,266
Last seen: 11 hours, 22 minutes
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I have always wondered how well food coloring would work.
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inski
Cortinariologist


Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 5,720
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I've tried it and as far as I can remember it was not so useful because the pigment was not absorbed by the cell walls, also, it needs to be diluted quite a bit as the pigment is extremely concentrated, it may be useful for some applications!
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RigVedaLXVII.Soma
Bacteri/Phyc/Bry/Myc/ology



Registered: 11/21/11
Posts: 380
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Microscope stains [Re: inski]
#15907589 - 03/06/12 04:45 AM (11 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
Alan Rockefeller said: I have always wondered how well food coloring would work.
Quote:
inski said: I've tried it and as far as I can remember it was not so useful because the pigment was not absorbed by the cell walls, also, it needs to be diluted quite a bit as the pigment is extremely concentrated, it may be useful for some applications!
Yeah I remembering you mentioning this not too long ago Allan, in gsharpnolack's Microscopy notes thread, so I tried it and, forgot to report back the results.
One suggested stain I have seen for using Food Coloring was using 1 drop of vinegar, 1 drop of alcohol, and 2 drops of red food colors, and 2 drops of blue coloring. (Or could just use one or the other, the reason for using both, gives more contrast.)
So I tried testing it on a Psilocybe cubensis gill section. It was very poor at absorbing into the specimen. It seemed to absorb into the middle more than the edges. So it refused to actually stain any of the basidia, or cystidia. Only very very lightly staining some, and some not stained at all.
But when it sat for maybe 20-30 minutes it stained it the inverted color for some reason. It would go on blue, and after sitting, would be pink. (and opposite).
I dont know. It might actually work if we could figure out a way to get the stain to absorb better. Or maybe add no alcohol, or no vinegar, etc. I am sure it could probably work, just needs some DIY tweaking.
But one thing that recipe is actually good for, is a Bacterial stain. Thats where I heard of it a long time ago. It works wonders at staining rod shaped and coccoid bacteria without staining its surroundings.
--------------------
    "While clinging to the moronic belief that they constitute a "counterculture," they share our society's overriding urge for expediency. They make no attempt to learn about the organisms they eat and it always struck me as ironic that people with such a low level of consciousness should be seeking "higher consciousness." -David Arora "Man is placed in the middle between two infinities - the infinitely great and the infinitely little - both of which are equally incomprehensible to him." -Pascal MyPostImage Gallery Trade ListSpores I Am Looking For Seeds I am Looking For Solanaceae, Amanitaceae
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hungrygoldfish


Registered: 10/23/10
Posts: 1,165
Loc: UK
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Quote:
Alan Rockefeller said: I have always wondered how well food coloring would work.
I tested some yellow food colouring last night and it showed up quite interesting but my microscope cut out due to a lose wire, I'm going to try and fix it and post some pictures later.
Can people try and post links to the stains that they buy so I can get an idea of what I should be looking out for.
-------------------- Come and visit my Photography Forum on the Shroomery!
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RigVedaLXVII.Soma
Bacteri/Phyc/Bry/Myc/ology



Registered: 11/21/11
Posts: 380
Loc: Michigan
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Here is a pretty easily accessible, simple stain anyone can get.
Its called Malachite Green.
Its sold at any pet store, or ANY store that has a Fish section. I actually just picked up a bottle at Miejer.
It is sold as a Ick and Protozoa Parasite Cure. It was called "Quick Cure" under the brand name AP (Aquarium Products)
Ingredients: Formalin, Malachite Green.
Only cost 2.59, give it a try!
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    "While clinging to the moronic belief that they constitute a "counterculture," they share our society's overriding urge for expediency. They make no attempt to learn about the organisms they eat and it always struck me as ironic that people with such a low level of consciousness should be seeking "higher consciousness." -David Arora "Man is placed in the middle between two infinities - the infinitely great and the infinitely little - both of which are equally incomprehensible to him." -Pascal MyPostImage Gallery Trade ListSpores I Am Looking For Seeds I am Looking For Solanaceae, Amanitaceae
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Javadog
Continuing along



Registered: 05/03/10
Posts: 7,385
Loc: USA
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Good stuff. Thanks!
-------------------- Boyd Rice told my brother that life is a corny pack of freesakes Myco-tek.org
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Raptor333
Stranger

Registered: 12/20/22
Posts: 16
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: Microscope stains [Re: inski]
#28108767 - 12/22/22 01:40 PM (1 year, 1 month ago) |
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Raptor333
Stranger

Registered: 12/20/22
Posts: 16
Last seen: 11 months, 3 days
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Re: Microscope stains [Re: inski]
#28109254 - 12/22/22 08:28 PM (1 year, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
inski said: I've tried it and as far as I can remember it was not so useful because the pigment was not absorbed by the cell walls, also, it needs to be diluted quite a bit as the pigment is extremely concentrated, it may be useful for some applications!
what strain is the first image of the set?
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Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,266
Last seen: 11 hours, 22 minutes
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Quote:
Raptor333 said: Heita,
what strain is this?
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/thumbs/13-20/860559893-thumb_DSC_1250.jpg
Might be Psilocybe makarorae.
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