BIO300 Microscopy Techniques

• General optics: electromagnetic radiation, resolving power, magnification, refractive index, diffraction, phase- and amplitude shift and interference.
• Special optics: general structure of the microscopes and ray paths in LM (light microscopy), CLSM (confocal laser scanning microscopy), SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy).
• Different optical and contrast enhancement methods in LM, CLSM, SEM and TEM.
• General preparationmethods in LM, SEM, CLSM and TEM
• Lectures, demonstrations and exercises gives a thorough introduction in the use of microscopes and their various imaging techniques.

Knowledge:

Students will acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in optics, sample preparation and image formation so that they can:

1) explain the central optical terms

2) describe the beam path and imaging in various microscope types

3) make rational choices in sample preparation and imaging methods based on sample types and problems

4) evaluate and interpret different micrographs (own and published).

Skills:

Students will be able to diagnose, adjust and use the following microscope:

1) Light microscope, with various types of optical contrast (brightfield, darkfield, polarization, phase contrast, differential interference contrast and fluorescence)

2) Confocal laser scanning microscope

3) Scanning electron microscope, in various imaging mode (SEI and BEI) and X-ray analysis.

4) Transmission electron microscope

The students should be able to use the following equipment in sample preparation: critical point drying and sputter coating for SEM, and assess suitable sectioning techniques for light and transmission electron microscopy.