2.1.1 Cell Structure Flashcards
What is magnification?
How many times larger an image is than the actual object itself.
What is resolution?
The degree to which it is possible to distinguish between two objects that are very close together. (The higher the resolution, the greater detail you can see.)
What is the equation for total magnification?
Eyepiece lens magnification X Objective lens magnification
What processes are required to prepare a slide?
Staining and/or sectioning.
What is staining?
Coloured dyes bind to chemicals on or in the specimen so they are visible.
How do you increase contrast during staining?
Use multiple dyes called differential staining to increase contrast.
What is sectioning?
Embedding specimens in wax which can then be sliced very thinly without distorting the structure.
What type of tissue is sectioning used on and why?
Used for soft tissue to avoid distorting structures that you want to see.
What is the radiation used for electron and light microscopes?
E= Electrons
L= Light
How do electron and light microscopes focus?
E= Magnets
L= Lenses
What is the magnification of light and electron microscopes?
E= X 2,000,000
L= X 2000
What is the resolving power of electron and light microscopes?
E= 0.2nm
L= 200nm
What type of microscope requires the sample to be in a vacuum?
Electron microscope (therefore matter must be dead).
How do transmission electron microscopes work?
Some electrons pass through the specimen and are focused on the screen or photographic plate.
What type of image is created by a TEM microscope?
A 2D, black and white image.
How do scanning electron microscopes work?
Electrons don’t pass through but cause secondary electrons to bounce off the specimens surface and reflect onto a screen.
What type of image is created by a SEM?
A 3D, black and white image.
What is a confocal microscope?
A microscope that uses lasers to scan and assemble an image.
What are the pros of a confocal microscope?
- The specimen doesn’t have to be cut so it can be used to look at whole objects.
- Cheap and easy to use.
What is an eyepiece graticule?
Similar to a ruler but is variable as magnification changes.
What is the structure of a nucleus?
Nucleus is surrounded by a double membrane (nuclear envelope) which has pores.
Nucleolus contains RNA.
Contains chromatin which is DNA wound around histone proteins.
What is the function of the nucleus?
Nuclear envelope separates stuff in nucleus from rest of cell.
Pores: so ribosomes can leave.
Nucleolus makes ribosomes.
Contains chromosomes.
What is the structure of the rough endoplasmic reticulum?
System of membranes with fluid filled cavities (cisternae) that continue from the nuclear envelope.
Coated in ribosomes.
What is function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum?
Intracellular transport system as the cisternae form channels.
Large surface area for ribosomes. Proteins then go through to the cisternae.