Cells
are generally
and can only be visualized through microscopes.
Most cells are too small to see with
the naked eye.
Eukaryotic cells typically range from 10 - 100 µm in diameter.
Prokaryotic cells are even smaller, usually less than 10µm.
Microscopes.
Light microscopes:
- brightfield
- brightfield stained
- phase-contrast
- differential-contrast
- fluorescence
- confocal
Electron microscopes
Brightfield passes light directly
through specimen.
Unless cell is naturally pigmented, image has little contrast.
Staining with dyes can enhance
contrast, but this usually kills the cells.
Phase-contrast uses a transparent
phase-plate to enhance contrast by amplifying variations in density
within specimen;.
Fluorescence microscopy can tag
specific molecules with fluorescent dyes or antibodies.
These fluorescent substances absorb ultraviolet light and emit visible
light to reveal the desired structures.
Confocal uses lasers to focus on
a single plane of a specimen.
A computer cam regenerate a 3-D view by combining images of several
sections of the specimen.
The top photo shows in-focus nerve cells and support cells of nerve
tissue.
The bottom photo is a standard fluorescence micrograph.
Electron microscopes.
- The scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows a 3D image of the
surface of a specimen.
- The transmission electron microscope (TEM) profiles a thin section
of a specimen.