This term describes a method to be used as well in light as in transmission electron microscopy. A thin, tiny specimen is covered with an optically opaque fluid (e.g., black ink etc.) thus staining the background and leaving visible the cell/parasite, etc. In case of positive staining, the target itself would be stained. In the case of transmission electron microscopy, specimens are stained, for example, with uranyl acetate or phosphotungstic acid. Note: During this slow process, living infectious organisms remain infectious for a while. Thus an infection risk exists (Fig. 1).
Negatively stained parasite stage of Sarcocystis ovifelis
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Further Reading
Hayat MA (2000) Principles and techniques for electron microscopy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
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Mehlhorn, H. (2015). Negative Staining. In: Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parasitology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_4092-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27769-6_4092-1
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