BB1802 Practical Skills 2: Online Discussion on Microscopy

This discussion post examines the light microscope, detailing its principles, structure, and uses in various fields. The assignment highlights the importance of light microscopes in biological and medical sample analysis, geology, material science, and forensic science. It contrasts light microscopes with electron microscopes, noting the advantages of portability, affordability, and the ability to view both living and dead specimens, while also acknowledging the limitations in magnification and depth of field. The post concludes by emphasizing the broad applicability of light microscopes in diverse fields, while acknowledging the need for advanced microscopy techniques in specific applications such as high-content screening and molecular imaging.

ONLINE DISUSSION
STUDENT ID:1832817
STUDENT NAME: Ishver Swarup

Light microscope utilizes the various properties of the light to make enlarged image of
specimen. The resolutive power of a light microscope is a function of refraction index and
wavelength of the light. The refracted light waves are generally spread out which caused a
blurred image. However, some additional lenses are used to enhance the magnification to
improve the image resolution in light microscope (Murphy and Davidson, 2016).
It is easy to handle due to small size and also, limited specimen preparation time is needed as
compared with the other complex structured microscope. It is portable in nature and also does
not require large space. It needs light rays to see the respective specimen and hence is
affordable (Pawley, 2016). However, electron microscope requires an expensive electron
beam. It can be used to see the living as well as dead specimen. No vacuum is required to use
light microscope. It cannot provide the clear image of the object at a very high magnification
such as > 1500x. Also, the depth of the field is confined and hence cannot be used when the
specimen is smaller than 0.275 microns (Roberts, Reiss and Monger, 2015).
Light microscopes are widely used in biological and medicine sample analysis. It is also used
by geologists for primary inspection of rocks as well as minerals. Further, material scientist
also uses light microscope for analysing plastics and polymers. Forensic science has also
utilized this to study micro-organisms and crime evidences (Murphy and Davidson, 2016).
Engineers are also utilizing this to determine the various surface properties of metals and
experimental work. Therefore, it can be concluded that it has been in manufacturing,
pharmaceutical, service, quality control, safety and so forth fields. However, when intensive
analysis is required such as high content screening (HCS) and molecular imagining such as
RNA, proteins, hormones, bacteria and other special type of fluorescent cells, then advanced
integrated microscopy is required (Pawley, 2016).
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References
Murphy, D.B. and Davidson, M.W. (2016) Fundamentals of Light Microscopy and
Electronic Imaging. 4th ed. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, pp.145-158.
Pawley, J. (2016) Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy. 5th ed. New York: Springer
Science & Business Media, pp. 89-101.
Roberts, M., Reiss, J. M. and Monger, G. (2015) Advanced Biology. Nashville: Nelson
Thomes, pp. 231.
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