Activity 2: Preparation of Wet Mounts Flashcards
plays an important role in the understanding of plant biology
plant anatomy
suspended in a drop of liquid (usually water) between the slide and cover glass
specimen
improves the quality and supports the specimen
refractive index of water
- cannot be stored over extended periods
- sometimes referred to as a “temporary mount”
wet mounts
scientific names of the following:
onion
carrot
kangkong
Allium cepa
Daucus carota
Ipomoea aquatica
- an important core subject in the study of biology, especially plant biology.
plant anatomy
____________ plays a significant role in regulating development.
environment
Most plant parts are too thick to be mounted intact and viewed with a microscope.
To study the plant body’s structural organization, ________ must be made so that enough light can be transmitted through the specimen to resolve cell structures under the microscope.
sections
- simplest method of preparing specimens for microscopic viewing
- allows one to examine the specimen in a few minutes
- suitable for various plant materials, such as soft herbaceous stems and small woody twigs.
“Patience, experience, and perhaps inherent skill are the chief requirements” for this technique (Berlyn and Miksche, 1976).
free-hand section methods
challenging to obtain by hand without supporting material, as small stem and root pieces are difficult to hold with one’s finger.
However, by cutting a ______________ into the pith support (see figure below), it is possible to hold the tissue firmly for free hand sections.
longitudinal sections
v-shaped notch
The cover glass floats and moves
due too much water
remove water with tissue paper
The liquid streams and does not settle
due to evaporation
add more water between the coverslip and slide
Air bubbles start to become visible
if dae man present ang air bubbles before, ibig sabihon kayan
indicate oxygen production due to photosynthesis
Air bubbles are present
- cover glass was not lowered from the side at an angle but placed horizontally on the water drop
- may also be that the specimen is hydrophobic (fatty) and /or fluffy
- water may have problems reaching all of the areas of the specimen, and there is much air caught by the fine structures.
Coverslip placement
- Lower the cover slip on the water droplet with an angle.
- This permits air to escape on one side.
Water placement
- if the specimen is not fully submerged in the water droplet, add another droplet on top of the specimen before lowering the cover slip.
- Alternatively, you can place a drop of water on the coverslip before it is lowered on the specimen.
Alternative mounting medium
- Use a mounting medium other than water.
- Try immersion oil, nail polish, or Euparal as a mounting medium.
- These mediums are hydrophobic and may therefore interact better with other hydrophobic specimens.
Break the surface tension
- Add a small amount of detergent, such as soap.
This will break the surface tension of the water.
The water will therefore adhere better to some specimens, thus preventing bubbles.
Apply a vacuum
You can remove air bubbles by placing the slide into a vacuum.
The bubbles will expand and move out beneath the cover glass.
Dehydrate the specimen
Place the specimen into alcohol. Some specimens will shrink and lose water and air.
By placing the specimen into the water again, the specimen will take up the water.
Remove oil and fat
Wash the specimen in alcohol.
This will make the specimen less hydrophobic.
Add water
Air bubbles also form when the water starts to dry up.
If the air bubble is large and reaches the side of the cover glass, you can add more water from the side of the cover glass.
