The Gram stain is the most important staining procedure in microbiology. ... This layer makes up 60-90% of the gram positive cell wall. Decolorizing the cell causes this thick cell wall to dehydrate and shrink, which closes the pores in the cell wall and prevents the stain from exiting the cell.

Why is decolorization important in Gram staining quizlet?

Decolorization is important because it will rinse the color out of the gram negative cells so they can be dyed with a secondary dye so you can see the difference between the Gram positive and Gram negative cells.

What is the Decolorizer in the Gram stain?

The decolorizer, ethyl alcohol, is the most crtitical step. Ethyl alcohol is a nonpolar solvent, and thus penetrates the cell walls of Gram negative cells more readily and removes the crystal violet-iodine complex.