Microscopes and the biology of microbes- Lecture 2 Flashcards
What are the major parts of a light microscope?
- Light source
- Incident light
- Light beam
- Specimen
- Transmitted light
(look at diagram)
What is the magnification for a light microscope?
1000x
What do light microscopes need?
stains to provide contrast - simple and negative stain
What are simples stains?
Basic dyes that absorb light- methylene blue
malachite green
crystal violet
safranin
What is a con of light microscopy?
It gives limited information on bacteria cell structure - only on size, shape and organisation
What is cell shape?
Cell shape is rarely definitive but is constant within a species
What is a spherical bacterial shape?
Spherical = coccus
Cells in a regular chain- Streptococcus mutans
Irregular clumps-
Staphylococcus aureus
What is cylindrical bacterial shape?
Cylindrical = rod (bacillus)
Cells without recognized grouping-
Escherichia coli
Cells in chains with spores- Bacillus anthracis
What are simple stains?
They are Basic (+) dyes only, like Carbol Fuschin, Malachite Green, Crystal Violet and they bind to (almost) all bacteria, irrespective of composition
What are differential stains?
Combinations of dyes and other treatments with different binding patterns and are related to cell envelope composition- e.g
Gram Stain
What is an electron microscopes magnification and wavelength?
up to x 100,000 and the wavelength is 1,000 times shorter than light
What can electron microscopes measure?
- Size
- Shape
- Organisation
- Internal structure
What are needed for electron microscopes?
Stains to provide contrast
What can heavy metals do in microscopes?
They can deflect electrons
What metal ions can do this?
Molybdenium, Uranium, Tungsten, Lead and Gold
What is a scanning electron microscope?
It produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. The signals result from interactions of the electron beam with atoms at or near the surface of the sample
What is a transmission electron microscope?
A beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra-thin specimen, interacting with the specimen as it passes through.
What is the highest magnification of a light microscope?
1,000
What is the resolution of a light microscope?
0.2 um
what is the lens on a light microscope?
glass
what is the contrast on a light microscope?
Differential light absorption
What is the highest magnification of an electron microscope?
100,000
What is the resolution on an electron microscope?
0.5nm
What is the lens on an electron microscope?
electromagnet
what is the contrast on an electron microscope?
electron scattering