There isn't one specific chemical that universally makes cells easier to see. The best approach depends on what you want to see and what type of cells you're looking at.

Here are some common methods and the chemicals involved:

1. Staining:

* Dyes: Different dyes bind to specific cellular components, making them visible under a microscope.

* Methylene blue: stains nuclei blue

* Gram stain: differentiates bacteria based on cell wall composition

* Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E): a common staining technique in histology, staining nuclei blue and cytoplasm pink

* Fluorescent dyes: emit light when excited by specific wavelengths, allowing for detailed imaging of specific molecules or structures. Examples include:

* DAPI: stains DNA blue

* FITC: stains proteins green

* Rhodamine: stains proteins red

2. Fixing:

* Formaldehyde: crosslinks proteins and preserves cell structure, making cells more rigid and less likely to degrade.

* Glutaraldehyde: a stronger fixative than formaldehyde, used for electron microscopy.

3. Mounting media:

* Glycerol: helps to preserve the sample and improve visibility.

* Canada balsam: a resin that hardens and creates a permanent mount for microscopic slides.

4. Immunofluorescence:

* Antibodies: proteins that bind to specific target molecules (antigens) within the cell. They can be labeled with fluorescent dyes, allowing visualization of the target molecule.

5. Electron Microscopy:

* Heavy metals: (e.g., osmium tetroxide, uranium acetate) are used to increase electron density in specific cellular components, making them visible under an electron microscope.

The choice of chemical ultimately depends on your specific experimental goals. If you can tell me what you want to see in the cells, I can recommend specific chemicals or techniques.