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chromogen

chromogen

9.9
A substance that can turn into a pigment
  • noun
  • /ˈkroʊməˌdʒɛn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cromógeno
  • In biological staining, the chromogen plays a crucial role in producing visible colors that highlight cellular components.

Examples

  • For staining 3,3'-Diaminobenzidine (DAB) chromogen solution (1 drop of DAB chromogen mixed with 1 ml of the DAB substrate) was poured onto the tissue sections.

    Academic text (2015)
  • For staining 3,3'-Diaminobenzidine (DAB) chromogen solution (1 drop of DAB chromogen mixed with 1 ml of the DAB substrate) was poured onto the tissue sections.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The researcher added a chromogen to the solution, which caused a vibrant color change in the sample.

  • During the experiment, the chromogen converted into a dark pigment, revealing the structures under the microscope.

Surface Forms

chromogen singular
chromogens plural

Morphology

chromogen = chroma (semi-transparent) = chromo + gen

Formed from Greek combining forms 'chromo-' (colour) and '-gen' (producer/origin), so the 'colour-producing' sense is derivable to readers familiar with scientific roots but not to average learners.

Etymology

The word chromogen comes from the Greek parts chromo- meaning 'color' and -gen meaning 'to produce', the same 'color' root you see in chrome. So a chromogen is a substance that can 'produce color' or turn into a color.