BRAINCAKECulturing Microorganisms
Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi can be grown in the laboratory in a culture medium, a mixture that supplies everything they need to grow and divide.
A culture medium contains:
• a carbon source, usually a sugar such as glucose, for respiration and for building molecules;
• a nitrogen source, such as amino acids or ammonium salts, to make proteins and nucleic acids;
• water, minerals (such as phosphate and magnesium ions) and sometimes vitamins.
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Key terms in this lesson
- pathogen
- An organism that causes disease in another organism (its host).
More in Bacteria and Disease
- Aseptic Culture Techniques
- Selective Media
- Growing a Pure Culture
- Counting the Number of Cells
- Turbidity
- Dilution Plating
- Area and Mass of Fungi
- Growth of Bacterial Colonies
All 30 lessons in Bacteria and Disease · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics