Final answer:
Tinsdale agar is the enrichment medium specifically tailored for the growth of Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Step-by-step explanation:
Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the bacterium that causes diphtheria, is Tinsdale agar.
Corynebacterium diphtheriae are aerobes or facultative anaerobes that grow slowly, forming characteristic palisade arrangements. They require enriched media such as Tinsdale agar for optimal culture conditions. Tinsdale agar contains potassium tellurite, which aids in the suppression of commensal flora and the formation of characteristic black colonies due to tellurite reduction, helping in the identification of C. diphtheriae. This medium is quite different from the Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) medium, which is used for M. tuberculosis cultures, forming distinct colonies and aiding in the differentiation of this pathogen from others.
The enrichment medium specifically for C. diphtheriae is Tinsdale agar. Tinsdale agar is a selective and differential medium that is used to isolate and identify C. diphtheriae from clinical specimens. It contains ingredients that suppress the growth of other organisms and promote the growth of C. diphtheriae by providing the specific nutrients it requires.