Final answer:
Fluorescence microscopy utilizes fluorochromes, such as acridine orange and DAPI, for staining and identifying structures within cells. Immunofluorescent techniques stand out due to their selective staining and high specificity, enabling visualization of specific antigens with tagged antibodies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful technique that uses fluorescent chromophores called fluorochromes to absorb energy from a light source and emit it as visible light, highlighting specific structures within a specimen. Commonly used fluorochromes include acridine orange and DAPI, which stain nucleic acids and are examples of stains used in fluorescence microscopy.
The power of immunofluorescent techniques lies in their selective staining and high specificity. This specificity is achieved through the use of antibodies tagged with a fluorochrome that bind only to their antigenic targets. There are two approaches, the direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA), where a primary antibody stain is directly coupled with a fluorescent dye, and the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), which involves an additional step involving a secondary antibody. These approaches allow researchers to identify and visualize the presence of specific pathogens, proteins, or other biologically important molecules within cells or tissues.