kasvatuslevyn

Kasvatuslevy, literally a culture plate, is a shallow, flat dish used in microbiology to grow and study microorganisms. The dish is typically made of clear glass or transparent plastic and is often accompanied by a separate lid to limit contamination. A solid growth medium, most commonly agar-based, is poured into the bottom and allowed to solidify. The medium provides nutrients and an environment for microorganisms to grow. Common media include nutrient agar, tryptic soy agar, MacConkey agar, and blood agar, each offering different nutritional profiles or selective properties.

The culture plate is used for a range of purposes, including isolation of single colonies, observation of colony morphology, and basic microbiological testing. After preparing and labeling the plates, samples are applied using sterile techniques and the plates are incubated under conditions suitable for the microorganisms being studied. Observations of colony size, shape, color, and edge characteristics help identify organisms or assess purity. In educational settings, agar plates are used to demonstrate growth concepts, while clinical and research laboratories use them for diagnostics, organism isolation, and experimental assays, sometimes incorporating differential or selective media to distinguish between species.

Safety and disposal are important considerations. Work with kultivated microorganisms requires appropriate biosafety practices, aseptic technique, and containment as dictated by the organism and setting. Used plates and media are decontaminated and disposed of according to institutional and regulatory guidelines, typically through autoclaving or other approved sterilization methods before disposal. Kasvatuslevy remains a foundational tool in microbiology for cultivating and studying microscopic life.