Chapter 8 - Microscopy and Lab Techniques Flashcards
Fixation
process of getting cells to stick on a microscope slide
Heat fixation
Cell placed on one side of microscope slide, heat applied with Bunsen burner, cells are stained
Optical microscopy
shine light on a sample, light reflects and pass through series of lenses which magnify the object; can be used to observe living cells
Electron microscopy
bombard sample with electrons, electrons bounce off the sample and pass through series of magnetic fields and land on a screen. Viewed on a computer (Indirectly viewing)
Electron microscopy requires cells to be:
fixed, stained, and killed before being observed
Which offers higher resolution - electron or optical microscopy?
Electron microscopy
Stereo microscope
low magnification to observe the surface of live specimens
Compound microscope
more than one lens; can be used to view simple, one-cell thick live cells
Drawback of compound microscopy
poor contrast - however, fixing/staining the cell would kill it
Bright field microscopes
compound microscopes that have a bright light to illuminate the sample
Phase contrast microscopes
allow the visualization of thin samples containing live cells; have tremendous contrast abilities