Iodine functions as which of the following in staining?

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Multiple Choice

Iodine functions as which of the following in staining?

Explanation:
Iodine acts as a mordant in staining because it binds to the dye to form a larger, less soluble complex that stays attached to the tissue. When crystal violet is followed by iodine, a crystal violet–iodine (CV–I) complex forms. This larger complex is trapped in the cell wall, making the stain more difficult to wash out during washing steps. In Gram staining, this helps retain the purple color in Gram-positive cells while Gram-negative cells lose the color after decolorization. So iodine’s role is to intensify and fix the dye through complex formation, not to stain by itself, and not to oxidize or dehydrate.

Iodine acts as a mordant in staining because it binds to the dye to form a larger, less soluble complex that stays attached to the tissue. When crystal violet is followed by iodine, a crystal violet–iodine (CV–I) complex forms. This larger complex is trapped in the cell wall, making the stain more difficult to wash out during washing steps. In Gram staining, this helps retain the purple color in Gram-positive cells while Gram-negative cells lose the color after decolorization. So iodine’s role is to intensify and fix the dye through complex formation, not to stain by itself, and not to oxidize or dehydrate.

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