Quick, Safe and Simple Silver Staining for Ciliates and Other Protists

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2016, Volume 37

Ben Waggoner, Taylor Newman, & Taylor Tarbutton

Abstract

In ciliated protists (Ciliophora), the basal bodies (kinetids) are arranged in species-specific patterns that are maintained from one generation to the next. Kinetids stain strongly when exposed to silver compounds. So does the ciliate "silverline system," the edges of the alveolar sacs underneath the plasma membrane. Most techniques for silver-staining ciliates are technically difficult and require toxic reagents. We present a simple, quick, inexpensive, and safe stain technique that reveals the complexity of ciliates and some other protists. Our procedure can easily be used in a project-based unit on protist diversity, or in inquiry-driven labs for secondary and post-secondary students.

Keywords:  staining, ciliates, Protista, basal bodies, silver

Boston University (2015)