The previous cytology course is now offered in modules so as to best meet the student's academic and research needs.
Bio. 390 - A, Research Methods in Transmission Electron Microscopy, 0.5 unit module will allow the student to acquire the skills associated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), including specimen isolation and preparation (fixation, embedding, staining), glass knife making, ultramicrotomy, black and white photography and the actual use and care of the transmission electron microscope. This module requires about two thirds of the semester to complete.
Bio. 391 - A, Research Methods in Scanning Electron Microscopy, 0.5 unit module that will allow the student to acquire the skills associated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including specimen isolation, critical point drying, surface replica preparation, plasma coating and photography techniques. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) will also be learned in this module allowing one to qualitate, quantitate and map the elemental composisiton of samples.
Bio. 392 - A, Research Methods in Confocal Microscopy, 0.5 unit module dealing with Confocal microscopy including cell / tissue preparation, immunocytochemistry, and image capture and analysis.
These modules require about half of the semester to complete.
Bio. 393 - Students may elect to do a research project with one of the above microscopes for an additional 0.5 unit.
Examples of semester schedules include:
TEM = .5 unit
SEM = .5 unit
Confocal = .5 unit
TEM plus Project = 1 unit
SEM plus Project = 1 unit
Confocal plus Project = 1 unit
TEM plus SEM = 1 unit
TEM plus SEM plus a Project with one of them = 1.5 units [This option would be very difficult to complete in one semester.]
Each student who designs and carries out a project will present
their work at the end of the semester in writing in the form
of a journal article and orally to the entire class. During the
semester, there will be weekly progress reports at the beginning
of each lab. It should be apparent that the successful completion
of the course modules requires a good deal of independent work
outside normal class hours. Past experience has shown that waiting
until the end of the semester is not prudent in that there is
only one set of instrumentation for each of the course modules
and the time of availability for the instruments must be shared
by the entire class (limited to 10 students per semester). Also,
the procedures of EM work are not suited to some persons (or
visa versa). Much of the work is of a fine nature done while
viewing under a microscope, and requiring dexterity, relaxed
steady hands, as well as mechanical aptitude. Persons who consume
sizable quantities of caffeine and who smoke usually have difficulty
with ultramicrotomy as do persons with poor eyesight (especially
poor depth perception and farsightedness). These conditions should
be considered before deciding to take these courses.
The TEM course will include a detailed study of cell ultrastructure.
This will be initiated by examining the current-- concepts of
membrane structure since most cell organelles and processes are
made of or associated with membranous structures. The various
organelles and inclusions of cells will then be studied in terms
of their structure and function.
Evaluation of the student will be based on quizzes on procedure
and cell structure, the ability to master the microscopy skills,
and on the quality of the independent project.