membrane structure, function and transport Flashcards
what is the simplest collection of matter that can be considered a living entity
a cell
how does a light microscope work
visible light is passed through the specimen and then through the glass lenses. the lenses refract the light so that the image is projected into the eye or into the camera
what are the 3 important parameters in microscopy
resolution
magnification
contrast
what is magnification
the ratio of an objects image size to its real size
what is resolution
a measure of the clarity of the image - it is the minimum distance two points can be separated and still be distinguished as separate points
the light microscope cannot resolve detail finer than …….……. micrometres regardless of the magnification
0.2
what is contrast
the difference in brightness between the light and dark areas of an image
how can contrast be enhanced
we can stain certain components of the specimen to make them stand out
how does the electron microscope work
it focusses a beam of electrons through the specimen or onto its surface
…….………. is inversely related to the wavelength of light (or electrons) a microscope uses for imaging
resolution
electron beams have much longer/shorter wavelengths than visible light
shorter
what is the highest resolution an electron microscope can achieve
2 nm
what is a scanning electron microscope used for
useful for detailed study of topography of a specimen
how does a scanning electron microscope SEM work
the electron beam scans the surface of the sample, usually coated with a thin film of gold
the beam excites electrons on the surface and these secondary electrons are detected by a device that translates the pattern of electrons into an electronic signal sent to a video screen
the result is a 3D image of the specimen
how does a transmission electron microscope TEM work
it aims a beam of electrons through a very thin section of the specimen
the specimen has been stained with atoms of heavy metals which attach to certain cellular structures, enhancing the electron density of some parts of the cell compared to others
the electrons passing through the specimen are scattered more in the denser areas, so fewer are transmitted
the image displays a pattern of transmitted electrons
what is a transmission electron microscope used for
it is used to study the internal structure of cells
what kind of lenses do SEM and TEM use and why
they use electromagnets as lenses to bend the paths of the electrons ultimately focusing the image onto a monitor for viewing
what is a disadvantage of the electron microscope
methods used to prepare the specimen kills the cells
specimen preparation for any kind of microscopy can introduce artefacts. what are these
structural features seen in micrographs that do not exist in the living cell
microscopes are the most important tools for which field of study
cytology - the study of cell structure
what is biochemistry
the study of the chemical processes (metabolism) of cells
what is cell fractionation
a technique used to study the structure and function of cells
it takes apart and separated major organelles and other subcellular structures from one another
the piece of equipment used is called a centrifuge
at lower speeds the pellet consists of larger components
at higher speeds the pellet consists of smaller components
what is the difference between stains used for light and electron microscopy
light microscopy stains are coloured molecules that bind to cell components, affecting the light passing through
stains for electron microscopy involve heavy metals that affect the beams of electrons
eukaryotic cells have internal ………… that compartmentalize their functions
membranes