Yeast Staining

[Otto Von Blotto]

Yeah, you will need to get some slides and cover slips to make up the yeast slides for viewing. I got mine from eBay.

 

I've refined my method for making them too. In a step-by-step process;

 

1. Tip 2-3 drops of yeast slurry into a shot glass or similar

2. Dilute with about the same amount of distilled water, maybe a little more (tap water should work too though).

3. Add the stain and don't be stringent with it. The entire liquid should look dark blue.

4. Swirl it all up and tip it down the sink, allowing for one drop to be dropped onto the slide.

5. Twist a tissue corner up into a "cylinder" of sorts, and soak up some of the drop on the slide.

6. Place the cover slip over the remainder of the drop, and press it down hard in the middle and along the edges*, soaking up any excess with the tissue.

7. Place the slide on the microscope stage and view under the 40x lens.

 

You'll probably see the cells all moving around initially, but if you allow it to sit there for 5-10 minutes, they do stop moving and you can take photos to do a viability count.

 

I've also found out recently that trypan blue is also known as diamine blue**, which is used in fountain pen ink. I do have some fountain pen ink (Quink) as I use one myself, so I'll be doing a shits and giggles test with it sometime soon, along with a trypan blue staining of the same culture to either see if the ink stains the cells at all, and if it does to compare the results between the two. I'll probably still source trypan blue regardless of the results though, because there would be other additives in the ink which may affect the results.

 

*I do this because otherwise the cover slip just kind of floats on the liquid on the slide, and when you view it under the microscope, some cells appear in focus and others don't, because they're floating around on different 'levels'. Pressing the cover slip down firmly onto the slide (without breaking it of course) ensures that all the cells are on the same level thus all appearing in focus. It makes it a lot easier to count them.

 

**It is also known as niagara blue.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

[Titan8]

Thanks for taking the time out to write this Kelsey, great info yet again.