Kinyoun stain
The Kinyoun method or Kinyoun stain (cold method), developed by Joseph J. Kinyoun, is a procedure used to stain acid-fast species of the bacterial genus Mycobacterium.[1] It is a variation of a method developed by Robert Koch in 1882. Certain species of bacteria have a waxy lipid called mycolic acid, in their cell walls which allow them to be stained with Acid-Fast better than a Gram-Stain. The unique ability of mycobacteria to resist decolorization by acid-alcohol is why they are termed acid-fast.[2] It involves the application of a primary stain (basic fuchsin), a decolorizer (acid-alcohol), and a counterstain (methylene blue).[3] Unlike the Ziehl–Neelsen stain (Z-N stain), the Kinyoun method of staining does not require heating.[4][5] In the Ziehl–Neelsen stain, heat acts as a physical mordant while phenol (carbol of carbol fuchsin) acts as the chemical mordant.
| Application of | Reagent | Cell colour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acid fast | Non-acid fast | ||
| Primary dye | Carbol fuchsin | Red | Red |
| Decolorizer | Acid alcohol | Red | Colorless |
| Counter Stain | Methylene blue | Red | Blue |
- ^ Brooks, G. F.; Butel, Janet S.; Morse, Stephen A. (2004). Jawetz, Melnick, & Adelberg's medical microbiology (23rd ed.). New York: Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill. p. 182. ISBN 9780071412070.
- ^ Dalynn Biologicals (October 2014). "KINYOUN CARBOL FUCHSIN STAIN" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
- ^ Hussey, Marise A.; Zayaitz, Anne (2008-09-08). "Acid-Fast Stain Protocols". Microbe Library. American Society for Microbiology. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01.
- ^ Murray, Patrick R., ed. (1999). Manual of clinical microbiology (7th ed.). Washington, D.C: American Society for Microbiology. ISBN 978-1-55581-126-6.
- ^ Baron, Ellen Jo; Bailey, W. Robert; Finegold, Sydney M. (1990). Bailey and Scott's diagnostic microbiology (8th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby. ISBN 978-0-8016-0344-0.