Safranin O Solution is a biological stain commonly used in microscopy and histology to highlight cellular structures. It is a red dye that binds to specific cellular components, providing contrast in tissue samples, especially for visualizing certain types of cells and cellular components under a microscope.
🏭⚗️ Production
Safranin O is synthesized by the chemical modification of Safranin, a dye originally derived from plants. It is usually dissolved in water or ethanol to prepare a staining solution. The concentration of Safranin O Solution can vary depending on the application, but it is typically prepared at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 1% for histological staining purposes.
🔬 Properties
Safranin O is a red dye with the chemical formula C₁₉H₁₉ClN₄. It is a cationic dye, meaning it carries a positive charge and readily binds to negatively charged cellular components, such as nucleic acids. The dye is highly soluble in water, ethanol, and acetone, making it easy to prepare in various solvents for different staining protocols. When dissolved in these solvents, Safranin O Solution produces a vibrant red color that is ideal for staining biological samples and providing contrast for microscopy. The dye has an affinity for specific cellular structures, making it useful in distinguishing components in both plant and animal tissues.
🧪 Applications
• Histology: Widely used for staining tissue samples, particularly in Gram staining to differentiate between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
• Microscopy: Employed in light microscopy to stain cells, particularly for visualizing plant cells, fungal cells, and bacterial cells.
• Cell biology: Often used in combination with other stains (e.g., Crystal Violet) for differential staining of various cellular structures.
• DNA visualization: Frequently utilized in molecular biology for cell counting or visualizing nucleic acids in cell samples.
