Technologies used to determine cell structure

Question 1

What are different microscopes used to determine cell structure?

Answer 1

• Light microscope
• Fluorescent microscopes
• Electron microscopes

Question 2

What are the features of the light microscopes?

Answer 2

• Light microscopes uses light that passes through a condenser lens then through the thin specimen
• has a magnification up to x1500
• resolution of 200nm
• living and non living specimens can be viewed

Question 3

What are the features of the fluorescent microscope

Answer 3

• Its like the light microscope but with more features, it is able to produce images of specific parts of cells
• it works by adding a fluorescent to the substance, then the substance is then illuminated by the high intensity light, it is directed through filters and separate it from surrounding light the viewer is able
  to see only those areas of the sample that are fluorescing

Question 4

What are the features of electron microscopes

Answer 4

• uses electron beam light, and electromagnets instead of glass, to enhance magnification and resolving power
• reveals structures at a cellular and subcellular level
• materials are able to show internal organization
• organelles are seen in greater detail.

Question 5

What are the two types of electromagnetic microscopes?

Answer 5

• Scanning electron microscope (SEM)
• Transmission electron microscope (TEM)

Question 6

Features of TEM

Answer 6

• electrons are transmitted through the specimen
• produces 2D image

Question 7

Features of SEM

Answer 7

• Causes second electrons to be emitted from the surface layers of specimens
• 3D images
• Disadvantages include:
  - living tissue cannot be seen
  - more expensive to maintain
  - introduces artifacts to the image