blood agar
Noun: A type of solid growth medium used in microbiology laboratories, specifically a nutrient-rich agar that contains whole blood (typically from sheep or horses) as a key nutritional component. It is used to cultivate fastidious (nutritionally demanding) bacteria and to observe their hemolytic properties (ability to break down red blood cells).
"Blood agar" is used as a compound noun. It refers to the specific prepared medium itself. * The microbiologist prepared blood agar plates to isolate the pathogen. * Streptococci are often cultured on blood agar to classify them based on hemolysis.
- The laboratory's standard protocol requires using blood agar for primary culture from sterile sites.
- Observing the colonies on blood agar helps determine if the bacterium produces alpha, beta, or gamma hemolysis.
- As a material: The term can be used to describe the substance in a general sense.
- The recipe for blood agar includes tryptic soy agar and 5% defibrinated sheep blood.
- Chocolate agar: A related culture medium where the blood has been heated, turning it a chocolate-brown color, to release growth factors for even more fastidious bacteria.
- Hemolysis: The breakdown of red blood cells, which is the key reaction observed on blood agar plates (e.g., beta-hemolysis, alpha-hemolysis).
- Enriched agar medium (this is a descriptive synonym, as "blood agar" is the specific technical term).
This is a specialized term used primarily in microbiology, clinical pathology, and medical laboratories. It is not typically used in everyday conversation.
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a culture medium containing whole blood as the nutrient
