What are special stains typically used for?

Special stains are typically used for identifying specific components of cells and tissues that may not be easily visible with standard stains. In the context of this question, special stains are particularly effective in highlighting endospores and fungi.

Endospores, which are resistant structures formed by certain bacteria, require specific staining techniques like the Schaeffer-Fulton stain to clearly differentiate them from the rest of the bacterial cell. Likewise, fungi can be targeted using stains such as Gomori's methenamine silver (GMS) stain, which accentuates the cell walls of fungal organisms, making them more visible under a microscope.

While other staining methods and techniques serve different purposes—such as preparing cultures, counting bacteria, or examining general cell morphology—those methods do not offer the specificity and detail needed for accurately identifying endospores and fungi. Therefore, special stains play a crucial role in microbiology and histology for detecting these particular structures.