Module 2.1.1 - basic components of living systems Flashcards
What is resolution?
The smallest distance between two points that can still be seen as two points.
Name the 6 parts on a microscope
- objective lens
- eyepiece lens
- stage
- light source
- coarse focusing wheel
- fine focusing wheel
What does the coarse focusing wheel do?
Moves the stage up and down
What does the fine focusing wheel do?
Changes how clear the object is
What does stain do?
Increases contrast as different cellular components take up stain to different degrees
Components become more visible and easier to identify
What is a dry mount slide?
Viewing solid specimens with no water under a microscope
Living tissue e.g. hair, pollen, dust, insect parts
What is a wet mount slide?
Viewing specimens in liquid under a microscope, cover slip is added at an angle
Allows aquatic organisms to be viewed
What is a squash slide?
Wet mount is first prepared, pressure is applied to squash the sample to make it think enough for light to pass through
E.g observing mitosis in root meristems
What is a smear slide?
The edge of a slide is used to smear a sample creating a thin, even coat on another slide
Cover slip is added
E.g. observing cells within blood
What does staining a slide do?
Increased contrast as different cellular components take up stains to different degrees.
Components become more visible and easier to identify.
What are +ve charged stains attracted to?
-ve materials in cellular cytoplasm, staining the components.
what do -ve charged stains do?
repelled by -ve cytosol, dye stays outside of cells so they stand out against background.
What is differential staining?
used to distinguish between 2 types of organisms that would be hard to identify.
Gram positive
thick peptidoglycan layer that absorbs surroundings, even toxins.
Gram negative
thinner cell walls so lose the stain, therefore stained with safranin dye to make them appear red.
What does the Acid fast technique do?
distinguishes between mycobacterium and other bacteria.
How do electron microscopes work?
they use beams of electrons which have shorter wavelengths than light , resulting in a higher resolution.
What do you do to get from metre - millimetre - micrometre - nanometre - picometre?
Times by 1000
What do you do to get from picometre - nanometre - micrometre - millimetre - metre?
Divide by 1000
Give the advantages and disadvantages of electron microscopes
+ x500,000 magnification
+ cell ultrastructure visible
- very expensive
- specimens can be damaged by electron beams
- complex preparation can leas to artefacts
Name the 3 types of electron microscopes
Light, TEM, SEM
What is a TEM magnification?
x1,000,000
What is SEM magnification?
x150,000
What is a light microscopes magnification?
x2000
What is TEM resolution?
0.5nm
What is SEM resolution?
3-10nm
What is a light microscopes resolution?
200nm
Which microscope can see in 3D?
SEM
Which microscope can see in colour?
Light microscope
What does LSC stand for?
Laser scanning confocal microscope
What type of sample can each microscope view?
Light - living and dead
SEM - dead
TEM - dead
Why is a light microscope easier to use?
Requires less training, easy preparation
Why are SEM and TEM hard to use?
They are large, need to be installed, require training to use, complex preparation
What can LSC microscopes be used for?
Diagnose eye diseases and develop new drugs
What microscope has a beam of electrons transmitted through the specimen?
Transmission electron microscope (TEM)
What microscope has a beam of electrons sent across the surface of the specimen?
Scanning electron microscopes (SEM)
What covers the surface of every cell and surrounds most organelles?
Membrane
What do membranes do?
- allow selected molecules to move in and out of cell
- allows cell to change shape
What does the nucleus consist of?
genetic material, chromatin, bound in a nuclear membrane
What is chromatin?
DNA and histone proteins
What happens in the nucleolus?
Ribosome synthesis and ribosomal RNA
What do nuclear pores do?
Allow mRNA in and out