Stains & Dyes

The purpose of biological staining is to enhance the contrast and resolution of specimen structures under the microscope. In the field of biochemistry, biological stains that are selective for special substances in cells (such as DNA, proteins, lipids, sugars, etc.) are used to qualitatively or quantitatively analyze the content of specific compounds.

The group that produces color in organic molecules is called a chromophore. Chromophores contain unsaturated bonds. When an organic molecule has a chromophore structure, its absorption spectrum will shift from ultraviolet to visible light, thus displaying a characteristic color. If a colored molecule with a chromophore also has an affinity for a certain biological molecule, it has the basic conditions to act as a biological stain.

For more details about our stains & dyes, please click the links listed below.