Size:
7.62×25.4 mm (3"×1") thickness: 1.0–1.2 mm, 50 pieces
Material
The slide is a glass piece used to hold experimental materials during experiments. It is rectangular, thicker, and has good transparency. The cover slip is placed over the material to prevent liquid from contacting the objective lens and contaminating the microscope. It is square, thinner, and also has good transparency.
Function
A slide is a glass plate used to hold objects during microscopic observation, after which a cover slip is placed on top for observing cells.
Usage
1. The smear method is a preparation technique where the material is evenly spread on a slide.
The smear materials include single-celled organisms, small algae, blood, bacterial culture media, loose tissues from animals and plants, testes, anthers, etc.
During the smear procedure, the following should be noted:
(1) The slide must be clean.
(2) The slide should be level.
(3) The coating must be uniform. Apply the liquid droplets in the middle to the right side of the slide, and spread them evenly using a scalpel blade or toothpick.
(4) The coating must be thin. Use another slide as a push slide, gently push it from right to left along the slide with the application liquid (the angle between the two slides should be 30°–45°), to form a uniform thin layer.
(5) Fixation. If fixation is required, chemical fixatives or drying methods (bacteria) can be used.
(6) Staining. Bacteria are stained with methylene blue, and blood is stained with Wright’s stain. The staining solution must cover the entire surface.
(7) Rinsing. Absorb or dry with absorbent paper.
(8) Sealing film. For long-term storage, Canadian gum sealant is used.
2. The tablet method is a preparation technique in which biological materials are placed between a slide and a cover slip, and a certain pressure is applied to disperse the tissue cells.
3. The slide preparation method is a technique where biological materials are sealed together to form glass slide specimens; temporary or permanent slides can be created using this method.
The slides include materials such as microorganisms like Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Paramecium, and nematodes; hydra, plant leaf epidermis; insect wings, legs, mouthparts, and human oral epithelial cells, etc.
Points to note during the slide preparation method:
(1) When holding the slide, ensure it is level or placed on a platform. The amount of water should be appropriate, just enough to fully cover the cover slip.
(2) The material should be spread out using an anatomical needle or tweezers without overlapping, and flattened onto the same plane.
(3) When placing the cover glass, slowly cover it over the droplet from one side to prevent bubbles from forming.
(4) During staining, drop a drop of stain onto one side of the coverslip, then use absorbent paper to absorb from the other side, ensuring the specimen beneath the coverslip is evenly stained. After staining, repeat the same process by dropping a drop of water, absorbing the stain, and observing under a microscope.
4. Sections are glass specimens made from thin slices cut from biological organisms.
Due to different requirements, tissue sections can be made by hand using a blade, or by embedding the tissue blocks in paraffin or wax, or freezing them at low temperatures for sectioning with a microtome. The sections are cut into thin layers of 5–10 micrometers for observation under an optical microscope. Ultra-thin sections prepared by embedding tissue blocks in epoxy resin or methacrylic acid have a thickness of 20–50 nanometers and are used specifically for observation under an electron microscope. For general teaching purposes, sections such as those from root tips and stems are commonly referred to as paraffin sections.
Cleaning Method
Cleaning method: Wash with clean water or alcohol, then wipe clean with cotton or gauze (it is best to use lens paper; avoid touching the slide with fingers to prevent leaving fingerprints that could affect future observation).
