MathBench > Microbiology

Experimenting with Meningicocci

Zeroing in

Alright, so if we're doing this in a lab, we're gonna need someplace for the bacteria to grow. In fact it's convenient to keep them in little dishes of food ... otherwise known as petri dishes with media.

However, just as there are many possible kinds of meals to make, there are also many possible kinds of media. So, do we want ...

  1. A complex media? This would be the most similar to what bacteria encounter in real life -- some source of sugar, various salts, and water. With a complex media, we don't know and don't really care exactly what's in it, as long as the bacteria are happy.
  2. An enriched media? This contains everything needed by a wide variety of bacteria, even bacteria that are picky about where they grow or what they need. So, using an enriched media can allow us to grow a huge range of bacteria at the same time.
  3. A differential media? This media is specifically designed to help you tell the difference between 2 or more types of bacteria.
  4. A defined media? This media is designed so that we know exactly what's in it, and we can drop out or add certain ingredients in order to test their effects.