John R. Hoffman is a Professor of Biology, public speaker and a scientist examining the recovery of the nervous system after injury. Since 2006 he has written several unpublished manuscripts and he is currently working on the first Nathaniel Smythe novel and short story collection. He spends his spare time with his family and running.

1. Microscopy

Specific Objectives:

At the end of this lecture, the student will be able to:

  1. Describe the general relationship between structure (anatomy) and function (physiology).
  2. Describe the hierarchical arrangement of the structure of the human body.
  3. Describe the basic steps involved in preparing biological tissues for microscopic examination.
    A. Explain the importance of different methods of fixation, such as freezing and aldehyde fixation.
    B. Explain the importance of different embedding techniques.
    C. Explain the importance of sectioning biological tissues.
    D. Explain the necessity of using specific stains to study biological tissues.
  4. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of preparing biological tissues for sectioning using a standard microtome and cryostat.

Lectures

Part 1. Magnification and Resolution

This lecture introduces the concepts of microscopy, magnification, and resolution.

Part 2. Microtechnique

This lecture provides a brief overview of the process of preparing biological specimens for microscopic examination.

Part 3. Specialized Microscopes

This lecture compares how different types of microscopes can be used to unique properties of biological specimens.

Next – 2 – Cytology (Cell Biology)