Observation of Methylene Blue-stained Cheek Cells using Foldscope

Dec 11, 2018 • 12:58 AM UTC

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Jitendra Satija

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Human cheek cells can be observed under a microscope after staining with methylene blue dye. Since methylene blue (cationic in nature) binds with DNA and RNA (anionic in nature) by electrostatic means, it gives a darker blue color to nucleic materials as represented in the image given below. This procedure and foldscopic exercise can be used to observe any infection in the buccal cavity. Further, this can be used observe the presence of micronuclei in the buccal cells which are more in number in the smokers as reported in the literature (Proia et al 2006, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(6). June 2006 1061-1077).