∞ generated and posted on 2016.01.12 ∞
Means of telling apart specific structures or simply visualizing them microscopically by means of preferential coloration.
| The 'Differentia' of Differential Stain implies 'Different' or 'Difference' meaning that different specimens or aspects of specimens will stain differently, allowing either 'Differentiation' from other specimens or parts of specimens, or instead simply visualization of those things via colorization. |
See, for example, acid-fast stain, flagella stain, Gram stain, spore stain, etc.
Contrast with simple stain as well as negative stain.