Microtechniques

Course Description

This course includes an introduction to microscopy, narcotization and fixation types, dehydration, clearing, embedding, sectioning and mounting are illustrated. In addition, the staining processes with different types of stains, synthetic and histochemical stains. Whole mounts, squashes and smears of different specimens. Principles and various types of microscopy. Introduction to optical and computational methods of image processing (digital imaging) and its applications in biology. Introduction to practical techniques used in molecular biology (western blotting, chromatography, recombinant DNA techniques, RNA isolation.

Lab Contents
The use and maintenance of the light microscope. Laboratory equipment used in microtechinque. Dissection of frog/ rabbit for organ harvest, fixation, washing, dehydration. Clearing and embedding in paraffin, sectioning using microtome and mounting on glass slides. Visit to a histology lab. To see the automated equipment used for slide preparation, and obtain some hands on experience. Staining prepared slides in H& E, preparation of slides in plant leaf, stem and roots. Prepration of colored plastid slide and fungi slide. Histochemical techniques in identifying carbohydrates, lipids. Visit to electron scanning and, all available microscopes being used in advanced labs using computer imaging. Transmission microscope lab., chromatography, practical techniques used in molecular biology (western blotting revision).

Course Objectives & Outcomes
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:

•  Differentiate among various methods of microtechniques.
• Identification of the tools and instruments that used in the microtechniques.
•  How to prepare differnet types (plants and animal specimens) of glass slides.
•  Uses of the vital and artificial stains. In addition, the histochemical stains that are used. 
•  Preparation of the films, squashes and completely mounted slides.
• Differentethe different types of microscops and their uses in the field of biology, additionally to the applications of the digital photography.

References
1. Douglas B. Fundamentals of light microscopy and electronic imaging.Wiley-Less 1 sted 2001.
2. Suvarna, S.Kim. Bancroft`s theory and practice of histological techniques. 7th edition. 2013
3. Steven E. Ruzin (1999): Plant microtechnique and microscopy. Oxford University Press.
4. J.James (reprint2011): Light microscopic techniques in Biology and Medicine. Springer.
5. Hameed A. Al-Hajj (1998): Light microscopic techniques theory and practice. Jordan Book Center.

Course ID: BIOL 205