Techniques of Microscopy Flashcards
What is the primary function of a microscope?
The primary function of a microscope is magnification and resolution of images.
How big are red blood cells and what are their function in a slide?
RBCs are 7.5 micrometer in diameter and can be used as an internal ruler.
What are the steps to prepare a slide?
- Fixation: immobilize and cross link proteins.
- Dehydration
- Infiltration
- Embedding
- Sectioning
6 Staining - Mounting
What are other common methods to prepare tissues?
- Frozen sections
- Smear
What are frozen sections?
Tissue can be immediately frozen, sectioned with cryostat (cold microtome) and processed through the rest of the steps in minutes.
What is the main purpose of frozen sections?
It is used for surgical biopsies to quickly determine if the tissue is benign or malignant.
What are smears?
It is a method where isolated cells are placed on a slide, fixed and stained.
What is the main purpose of smears?
Smear preparations are used to examine blood, bone marrow, and cervical cell (pap smear)
What does H&E stand for?
Hematoxylin & Eosin
What is tissue that is stained with an acid dye called?
It is called acidophilic.
What is Eosin?
It is an pink-orange acid dye
What cell components are acidophilic?
- Cytoplasm
- mitochondria
- secretory and lysosomal granules
Why are RBCs acidophilic?
Because hemoglobin has affinity for eosin
What are tissue components staining with acid dye?
Acidophilic
What the basic dye that is purple in color?
Hemoatoxylin
