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About The Gram Stain: Identify and differentiate bacteria Virtual Lab Simulation
Did you know that there are approximately 5 million-trillion-trillion bacteria in the world? Most of them are harmless, but some can induce disease in an affected host. In this simulation, you will help doctors identify bacteria in a cerebrospinal fluid sample from a patient suspected of suffering from bacterial meningitis.
Explore the bacterial cell wall
Compare and contrast the cell wall of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by building your very own bacterial 3D models on the hologram table. Enter the exploration pod to observe in an immersive animation how the four reagents of the Gram stain interact with structural components of the cell wall to color the bacteria.
Perform the Gram stain
When the patient’s fluid sample arrives at the laboratory, equip yourself with protective gear to prepare a bacterial smear and heat fix it to a glass slide. You are now ready to perform the Gram stain in a safe virtual environment. Made a mistake? No worries, hit the big red button on the workbench to repeat the staining procedure until it becomes second nature.
Interpret your findings using a microscope
In the end, you will use a light microscope to interpret the results of your Gram stain. View the microscopic image on the computer screen, and apply immersion oil to increase magnification 1000x! Will you be able to identify the presence of any bacteria in the patient´s cerebrospinal fluid?
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Techniques in Lab
- Preparation of bacterial smears
- The Gram stain technique
- Light microscopy
Learning Objectives
At the end of this simulation, you will be able to…
- Describe the structure of the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria
- Appreciate theoretical and technical aspects of the Gram staining procedure
- Know the most commonly made mistakes in Gram staining
- Critically interpret the results of a Gram staining experiment using a light microscope
Simulation Features
Examples of Related Standards
Life Sciences related 1st and 2nd year
No direct alignment
B.1 Microbiology: organisms in industry
No direct alignment
Screenshots of The Gram Stain: Identify and differentiate bacteria Virtual Lab Simulation
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