Lab 1: Return to the Microscope


Before you come to lab:

  1. Look over the parts of the microscope.

During the lab period (best if done in order, although #5 can be done at any time):

  1. Meet and introduce yourself to your lab group.
    • You can work with whomever you like, but I prefer groups of 2-4 people.
  2. Complete and turn in the Laboratory Safety Sheet.
  3. Work with your microscope.
    • Follow the Microscope Checklist.
    • Your assigned microscope is stored in the cabinet in the back prep room.
    • Microscopes are assigned by the number of your seat.
    • If you ever encounter a technical problem with your microscope, please tell the instructor.
      • Don’t return a malfunctioning microscope to the cabinet without telling someone!
    • If you can’t remember the parts of the microscope, consult the figure above.
    • If you have trouble finding your specimen, consult this flowchart.
    • Understand the relationships between the objective lenses and the two focus knobs.
      • When do you use the coarse focus knob? What about the fine focus knob?
    • Understand how to determine the total magnification of an image.
    • Understand what is meant by the term resolution and how it is relevant to microscopy.
  4. Make the first entry for your Histology Notebook:
    • Note: I realize that you won’t have a notebook in hand for this on the first lab. Put this information on regular white paper and copy it into your notebook when you get it.
      • Make sure you have one by Lab 3!
    • Complete the Microscope Information Table and tape/glue it into your Histology Notebook.
      • I recommend that you do the following:
        • Save the first 3-4 pages in your notebook for the Table of Contents. (If you don’t use all four pages, that’s okay.)
        • Put the Microscope Information Table on p. 5.
    • Put your first entry (silk fibers, see next item) on p. 8.
    • silk fibers
      • # pages recommended: 1
      • Make two sketches of the intersection of the fibers.
        • The two sketches should be at 100x and 400x total magnification.
      • Label: red, yellow and blue fibers.
      • Answer Question 1: List the order of the fibers from top to bottom.
        • Answer the question right on the page with the drawing.
      • Make sure you include the following:
        • Magnification labels for your two sketches
        • Page number (and update your table of contents)
        • Slide information from the label on the slide
  5. Look at one of the two torso models in the lab. Remove the organs and identify the following:
    • brain
    • heart
    • lungs
    • trachea
    • esophagus
    • aorta
    • abdominal vena cava
    • liver
    • stomach
    • pancreas
    • thyroid gland
    • spleen
    • small intestine
    • large intestine
    • kidneys
    • To which body system(s) do these organs belong?
    • Put the organs back into the model correctly. (And, yes, they do all fit!)

Before the next lab period:

  1. Begin the process of learning the terms that deal with surface anatomy (“Naked Man” – Marieb Fig. 1.7; p. 14). Pick eleven of the easiest terms on the anterior view and seven of the easiest on the posterior view, and learn those first.
  2. Learn the following anatomical terms:
    • superior
    • inferior
    • anterior
    • posterior
    • lateral
    • medial
    • proximal
    • distal
    • superficial
    • deep
    • frontal plane
    • sagittal plane
    • transverse plane
  3. Learn the body cavities in Marieb Lab Manual Fig. 1.6 (p. 7).

Additional resources:

  1. Visit the ARC. They also have a torso model and microscopes.
  2. Photos of the torso models can be found here.