Skip to main content

Table 2 “Glossary of terms used to describe the 3 major physiological states defined herein” (cited from[3])

From: Confusion over live/dead stainings for the detection of vital microorganisms in oral biofilms - which stain is suitable?

Physiological state

Phenotype

Viable

Capable of division; will form a colony on an agar plate.

Vital or dormant

Unable to divide or to form a colony on an agar plate without a preceding resuscitation phase.

Non-viable

Incapable of division; will not form a colony on an agar plate under any tested condition.

  1. We use the phrases ‘starvation’ or ‘starving cells’ to refer to the environmental conditions under which cells are incubated, rather than to a physiological state. Thus starved cells (or cells that have suffered other stresses) may or may not be dormant. Despite historical usage of these terms, the phrases ‘direct viable count’ and ‘viable-but-non-culturable’ are misnomers, since such cells are not viable as defined above.
Back to article page

BMC Oral Health

ISSN: 1472-6831

Contact us