SERUM AGAR Meaning and
Definition
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Serum agar is a type of solid culture medium commonly used in microbiology laboratories for isolating and cultivating bacteria that require specific nutrients derived from animal serum for growth. It is prepared by adding sterile animal serum, typically from the blood of cows or horses, to a nutrient agar base.
The addition of serum to the agar provides essential growth factors such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other organic compounds that may be lacking in the basal medium. These growth factors act as a supplement to support the growth, reproduction, and metabolism of bacteria that have specific nutritional requirements that cannot be met by a standard culture medium.
Serum agar is often utilized to selectively cultivate fastidious bacteria, which are typically slower-growing and have more exacting nutrient requirements than other organisms. By incorporating serum into the agar, this specialized medium enables the growth of these fastidious bacteria, allowing for their identification and study.
Furthermore, serum agar may also be used in sensitivity testing, particularly for antibiotic susceptibility testing. The bacteria are inoculated onto the agar containing various concentrations of antibiotics, and their growth or inhibition is observed, giving valuable information about the efficacy of different antimicrobial agents.
Overall, serum agar plays a crucial role in microbiology laboratories as a specialized medium that promotes the growth of fastidious bacteria, allows for the isolation of specific organisms with unique nutritional requirements, and aids in determining antibiotic susceptibility patterns.
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Prepared by adding sterile serum to melted agar.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for SERUM AGAR
- aerum agar
- zerum agar
- xerum agar
- derum agar
- eerum agar
- werum agar
- swrum agar
- ssrum agar
- sdrum agar
- srrum agar
- s4rum agar
- s3rum agar
- seeum agar
- sedum agar
- sefum agar
- setum agar
- se5um agar
- se4um agar
- serym agar
- serhm agar
Etymology of SERUM AGAR
The word "serum agar" is a compound term composed of two parts: "serum" and "agar".
1. Serum: The term "serum" derives from the Latin word "sērum", meaning "whey" or "liquid whey". In biology and medicine, "serum" refers to the clear, yellowish fluid that separates from blood when it coagulates or clots, leaving behind the solid components. Serum contains various proteins, hormones, antibodies, and other substances, making it a useful medium for certain biological and diagnostic tests.
2. Agar: The term "agar" comes from the Malay word "agar-agar", which means "gelatin" or "jelly-like substance". Agar is a gelatinous material derived from algae, specifically from seaweed belonging to the Gelidium or Gracilaria genus.
