Light microscope
An instrument that uses visible light and glass lenses to enable the user to objects magnified many times
Compound light
... [Show More] microscope
A light microscope which uses two lenses to magnify an object; the objective lens, which is placed near to the specimen and an eyepiece lens, through which the specimen is viewed
Differential staining
Using specific stains to distinguish different types of cell
Counterstain
Application of second stain with a contrasting colour to sample for microscopy
Electron microscopy
Microscopy using a microscope that employs a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen. As electrons have a much smaller wavelength than light they produce images with higher resolutions than light microscopes
Ultrastructure
The ultrastructure of a cell is those features which can be seen by using an electron microscope
Artefacts
Objects or structures seen through a microscope that have been created during the processing of the specimen
Transmission electron microscope
An electron microscope in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a specimen and focused to produce an image
Scanning electron microscope
An electron microscope in which a beam of electrons is sent across the surface of a specimen and the reflected electrons are focused to produce a three-dimensional image of the specimen surface
Laser scanning confocal microscope
A microscope that employs a beam of fluorescence and a pin-hole aperture to produce an image with a very high resolution
Prokaryotic cell
Cells with no membrane-bound nucleus or organelles
Eukaryotic cell
Cells with a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles
Magnification
How many times larger the image is than the actual size of the object being viewed
Resolution
The ability to see individual objects as separate entities
Cytoplasm
Internal fluid of cells, composed of cytosol (water, salts, organic molecules) , organelles and cytoskeleton
Metabolism
All of the chemical reactions that occur within an organism
Organelles
Membrane-bound compartments with varying functions inside eukaryotic cells
Nucleus
A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction
Histones
Proteins that form a complex with DNA called chromatin
Chromatin
Uncondensed DNA in a complex with histones
Chromosomes
Structures of condensed and coiled DNA in the form of chromatin. Chromosomes become visible under the light microscope when cells are preparing to divide
Mitochondria
An organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur
Cristae
Highly folded structures within the mitochondria inner membrane
Matrix
The fluid interior in the inner membrane of a mitochondria
Mitochondrial DNA
DNA present within the matrix of the mitochondria
Vesicles
Small membrane sacs that specialize in moving products into, out of, and within a cell
Lyosomes
Specialised vesicles containing hydrolytic enzymes for the breakdown of waste materials within a cell
Cytoskeleton
A network of fibres in the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell
Microfilament
Contractile protein actin fibres responsible for cell movement and cell contraction when the cytoplasm of a single eukaryotic cell divides to two daughter cells
Microtubules
Tubes used to from a scaffold like structure to determine the shape of the cell. Also act as tracks for the movement of organelles and vesicles around the cell. Makes up spindle fibres
Intermediate fibres
Fibres that give mechanical strength to cells and maintain their integrity [Show Less]