GLOSSARY OF TERMS
AEROBIC
requires oxygen (opposite of anaerobic
AGAR
powder added to media for solidification
AIR-DRY
drying of slide suspension in air before heat fixing and staining
ALIQUOT
dispense an amount of liquid using a pipette
ANALOG
similar structure, but not identical
ANTIBODY
specific, protective protein produced by the immune system in response to an antigen
ANTIGEN
foreign, non-self immunogenic material that elicits an immune response
ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE
procedure to guarantee sterility and to reduce contamination
ATRICHOUS
without flagella, nonmotile
AUTOCLAVE
moist heat method of sterilization using pressure
AXIAL FILAMENT
a structure for motility used by the Spirochaete bacteria
BIBULOUS PAPER
absorbant paper used to blot dry slides after staining
BHI
brain heart infusion, a really good enrichment medium
BRIGHTFIELD MICROSCOPY
full light directed towards the specimen, used for stained and live specimens
BROTH
medium without agar
BROWNIAN MOVEMENT
vibrations of an object seen in a microscope, not true motility
CANDLE JAR
candle burns in a closed container producing a carbon dioxide incubator, containing 2-10% O2 and around 10% CO2
CFU
colony-forming units, i.e. colonies
CHEMICALLY-DEFINED MEDIUM
a synthetic medium, comprised of known ingredients and known amounts
CHITIN
a complex polysaccharide molecule found in walls of fungi and exoskeletons of shrimps and crabs
CHROMATOGRAPHICALLY
migration and separation of molecules through an absorbant material like cotton, over time
CNA
Columbia naladixic acid medium, selective (for Gram +) and differential medium
COAGULATION
clotting of blood, plasma
COLIFORMS
gram - rods which ferment lactose, nonsporeforming
COLONY
a visible mass of bacteria growing on solidifed medium, a clone
COMPLEX MEDIUM
medium with some unknown ingredients or amounts, i.e. blood agar
CONDENSER
collects all available light rays for direction up to the stage opening
COUNTERSTAIN
the 2nd dye added to a smear, taken in after the wall is decolorized, e.g. safrinin, methylene blue
DARKFIELD MICROSCOPY
special condenser blocks most light rays, only reflected light bounces off specimen into lens producing a black field of vision; used for wet mounts
DECOLORIZER
the reagent used to remove the primary dye from the cell wall in a differential stain, e.g. acid alcohol, acetone-alcohol
DIFFERENTIAL STAIN
uses 2 or more dyes which allow differentiation between different bacterial groups or structures
DIAPHRAGM
acts as an iris within the condenser which opens and closes for sensitive light control
DISACCHARIDE
2 sugar molecule, e.g. lactose or sucrose
EMB
Eosin methylene blue medium, selective (for Gram -) and differential medium
EXOENZYME
enzyme excreted away from the cell
FACULTATIVE ANAEROBE
uses oxygen when present but can either ferment or anaerobically respire without it
FASTIDIOUS
hard-to-grow bacteria, requiring grow factors or particular nutrients
FECAL COLIFORMS
gram - rods which ferment lactose, nonsporeforming, GI flora in animals, in feces
FLAGELLA
a structure for motility
FLAGELLATION
differential category of flagella placement around the cell
GENUS
category of organisms with like features and closely related, divided into species
HALOPHILIC
salt-tolerant or salt-loving (salt-requiring
)
HEAT-FIX
use of the flame to 1)coagulate proteins of the suspension, causing adherence to slide, and 2) kill the microbes
HELMINTH
parasitic worm
IMMUNOASSAY
test which identifies antibody in patient based on use of a known antigen, or identifies the antigen based on the use of a known antibody
IMViC
acronym = indole, methyl red, Voges-Proskauer, citrate
MIC
minimal inhibitory concentration of antibiotic that inhibits a bacterium
MICROAEROPHILIC
likes a reduced oxygen concentration
MICROTUBULES
cell organelles involved in structure, framework, skeleton of the cell
MONOSACCHARIDE
simple sugar, e.g. glucose
NA/NB
nutrient agar or nutrient broth
NONIONIC
no electrical charge
OBLIGATE AEROBE
requires oxygen to grow
OBLIGATE ANAEROBE
does not use oxygen to grow, may even be killed by it
OIL-IMMERSION LENS
100X objective lens, to be used always with immersion oil
PALLINDROME
a word or a group of letter that is read frontwards and backwards the same, e.g. radar
PARFOCAL
feature of microscope which allows rotation of lenses with only minor focus movement, lenses
alignment
PATHOGENIC
disease-causing
PCA
plate count agar medium, general all-purpose enrichment
PFU
plaque-forming units produced by bacterial viruses when infecting host bacterial cells
PHASE-CONTRAST MICROSCOPY
special condenser below stage and in objectives change speed of light rays, enhancing density differences inside and outside of cells; used for wet mounts
PHAGE TYPING
test to identify a bacterium based on which known virus infects it
PHENOTYPE
expression of a gene as a trait
PLAQUE
destruction of the bacterial lawn by a bacteriophage as the lytic infection progresses
PLATE COUNT AGAR
variation of nutrient agar, for optimizing counts of bacteria in samples
POUR PLATE
procedure where liquified agar has been poured into a petri dish after being mixed with
bacteria
PRIMARY DYE
the 1st dye used in a differential stain, e.g. malachite green, crystal violet, carbol fuschia
REVOLVING NOSEPIECE
rotating turret attached to the 3 lenses
RESAZURIN
oxygen indicator in thioglycollate broth, pink when oxygenated
SPECIES
a subdivision of a genus, almost identifcal organisms, a clone
SPREAD PLATE
procedure where pre-made agar plates have a sample of bacterium placed on top of the agar and spread via a glass rod
STREAK PLATE
procedure where a bacterial specimen is placed on a pre-made plate and diluted out using flame and multiple sections.
SYMBIOTIC/SYMBIOSIS
a relationship between 2 or more organisms
THERMAL DEATH TIME
minimal amount of time to completely sterilize a specimen at a certain temperature
TSB/TSA
trypticase soy broth or trypticase soy agar
ZONE OF INHIBITION
area of no bacterial growth around a chemical on a disc, indicates sensitivity
الأحد 17 أغسطس - 2:38
