A Lactofuchsin mount (also spelled Lacto-fuchsin or Lacto-Fuchsin) is a technique used for mounting

fungi A fungus (plural, : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of Eukaryote, eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and Mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified ...

with

hyphae A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one or ...

on a

microscope slide A microscope slide is a thin flat piece of glass, typically 75 by 26 mm (3 by 1 inches) and about 1 mm thick, used to hold objects for examination under a microscope. Typically the object is mounted (secured) on the slide, and then b ...

for examination. The main advantage of a lactofuchsin mount is that if performed correctly, it preserves the structure and arrangement of any hyphae that are present.

Advantages

To examine the hyphae of fungi under a microscope, a

wet mount A microscope slide is a thin flat piece of glass, typically 75 by 26 mm (3 by 1 inches) and about 1 mm thick, used to hold objects for examination under a microscope. Typically the object is mounted (secured) on the slide, and then b ...

is essential. While this is possible to do with a water based mount, a better result can be obtained with lactofuchsin mounting fluid, which both sticks to the

cell wall A cell wall is a structural layer surrounding some types of cells, just outside the cell membrane. It can be tough, flexible, and sometimes rigid. It provides the cell with both structural support and protection, and also acts as a filtering mec ...

s and colours the cell walls red in the process. Lactofuchsin, a 1% solution of basic fuchsine in

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as natur ...

, dries much slower than water, so the slide may be preserved for a longer period, particularly if the edges of the finished slide are sealed, for example with clear nail polish. In addition, the

refractive index In optics, the refractive index (or refraction index) of an optical medium is a dimensionless number that gives the indication of the light bending ability of that medium. The refractive index determines how much the path of light is bent, o ...

of the fluid is significantly different to that of the cell walls, which provides a stronger visual contrast of the cell walls against the background.

Disadvantages

A significant disadvantage of Lactofuchsin is its cost; prices are over US$100 for a small 20mL bottle. Only a few drops are used for each mount. Lactofuchsin is

poison Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...

ous.

References

Microscopy Mycology {{Microbiology-stub