Week Six – Introduction to Light Microscopy and Biological Models

Experience teaches only the teachable.
Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963)

Monday presentation

Prepare for a brief talk on microscopy followed by a presentation on the importance, dynamics, and biology of microtubules and an introduction to the final laboratory study of the course. The concepts of regulation by feedback inhibition and of steady states will be introduced. Please be prepared to follow a rather fast paced talk. A web version of the talk with notes is in preparation. Meantime, please peruse the presentations on microscopy: principles of light microscopy ; using a bright field microscope; optics compared; measuring with a microscope. You don't need to be too thorough. The presentation for the Monday talk overlaps some of this material.

Recommended resources

Some expectations – before the talk

  • Be able to describe the components and structure of microtubules and flagella
  • Be prepared to give at least one biological and one non-biological example of feedback inhibition
  • Be able to describe the differences among homeostasis, a steady state (a.k.a. dynamic equilibrium), and a simple equilibrium
  • Be able to name and describe the model organism that will be the subject of experimentation next week
  • Be prepared to describe the hypothesis and experiment that will be conducted next week

Some expectations before starting the work

  • Prepare an outline listing specimens to examine and what to observe
  • Estimate the time you can spend on each specimen to complete all of the work

Expectation – following the laboratory work

  • You MUST be prepared next week to: (1) fix and stain samples of Chlamydomonas; (2) prepare wet mounts of stained Chlamydomonas; (3) find stained cells in a microscope field, raise magnification, optimize contrast, observe and measure flagella

 

Pre-laboratory orientation (by instuctor)

  • Tutorial – using a Nikon Labophot microscope
  • How to prepare a vaseline mount (wet mount) slide
  • Orientation to specimens to be examined

Follow-up work

  • Write up the materials and methods and the results sections for the second (mitochondria) paper, to be submitted in the laboratory next week
  • Complete and submit Pre-lab #6 before coming to the laboratory
  • Start on your preparation for week 7 of the course (Week 7 schedule page)

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Created by David R. Caprette (caprette@rice.edu), Rice University17 Aug 95
Updated 3 Jan 08