Labster Virtual Lab: Microscopy Simulation
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ABOUT THE MICROSCOPY VIRTUAL LAB SIMULATION
In the Microscopy lab, students examine chicken intestinal sections using three different microscopy techniques: light microscope, transmission electron microscope and fluorescence microscope. Students are presented with a research project investigating intestinal—similar to coeliac disease.
SUMMARIZED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Understand different microscopy techniques and their limitations
Identify various cell types and cellular structures
Learn about coeliac disease and intestinal inflammation
Learn about staining techniques
DETAILED LAB DESCRIPTION
Light microscopy
Students learn how to operate a light microscope and understand the mechanisms behind. They are presented with chicken intestinal slides that have been stained with Anilin, Orange G and Fuchsin. Using the 5x magnification, students identify the villus, and then proceed with higher magnifications to identify smooth muscle, extra-cellular tissue, epithelial cells, Goblet cells and the nuclei.
Transmission electron microscopy
Electron microscopes can be used to visualize objects that are too small to see when using a light microscope—for example the micro-villi, mitochondria and the junctions between cells. In this lab, students examine a chicken intestine slide that is specially prepared for a transmission electron microscope. Students can zoom in and out and observe different cellular structures.
Fluorescence microscopy
Students learn about fluorescence staining techniques and how it can be used to visualize specific structures. For example, by staining the DNA with DAPI, students can easily identify a cell’s nucleus. In this part of the lab, Students will examine a chicken intestine sample that is infected with a retrovirus. They observe how the virus infects the lymphocytes and how it inhibits inflammation. The retrovirus can be further developed as medicine for coeliac disease.