In negative staining -
Negative staining is an established method, often used in diagnostic microscopy, for contrasting a thin specimen with an optically opaque fluid. In this technique, the background is stained, leaving the actual specimen untouched, and thus visible. This contrasts with 'positive staining', in which the actual specimen is stained.
The structure to be demonstrated is stained
The structure to be demonstrated is not stained
The background is not stained
The background and structure are stained
General