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The primary purpose of a gram stain in a laboratory is to distinguish between different types of bacterial cell walls. This staining technique categorizes bacteria into two major groups based on the structural differences in their cell walls: Gram-positive and Gram-negative. Gram-positive bacteria retain the crystal violet stain and appear purple under a microscope due to their thick peptidoglycan layer, while Gram-negative bacteria do not retain the stain and take on a pink color due to a thinner peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane. This classification is crucial for identifying bacterial species, guiding treatment decisions, and understanding their pathogenicity. The gram stain is a foundational technique in microbiology, affecting diagnoses and research on bacterial infections.