BIOL2120 CELL BIOLOGY

Chapter 1

1. Introduction:
Cell Biology
&
Microscopy
The Cell Theory: A Brief History

• Robert Hooke (1665) observed

compartments in cork, under a microscope,
and first named cells (the basic unit of life)

• His observations were limited by the low

magnification power (30X enlargement) of his
microscope

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Early progress in cell biology was slow

• Two factors restricted progress in early cell

biology:

o Microscopes had limited resolution

(ability to see fine detail)

o The descriptive nature of cell biology - the

focus was on observation, with little
emphasis on explanation

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Microscopes: essential tools in early cell
biology

• By the 1830s, compound microscopes were used

(two lenses)
o Increased magnification and resolution

• Using a compound microscope, Robert Brown

identified the nucleus, a structure inside plant
cells

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Eukaryotic Prokaryotic
cells cell

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The cell theory

• In 1839, Thomas Schwann postulated the

cell theory
o All organisms consist of one or more cells
o The cell is the basic unit of structure for all
organisms

• In 1855, Rudolf Virchow added

o All cells arise only from preexisting cells

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The Emergence of Modern Cell Biology

• Three historical strands weave together into

modern cell biology, each with important
contributions to understanding cells

o The biochemistry strand focuses on cellular

function

o The genetics strand focuses on information flow

and heredity

o The cytology strand focuses mainly on cellular

structure, and emphasizes optical techniques

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• The biochemical strand covering the
chemistry of biological structure and
function

BCHE2030
Fundamentals of Biochemistry

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• The genetic strand focusing on
information flow

BIOL2410
General Genetics

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• The cytological strand
dealing with cellular
structure

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The Light Microscope

• The light microscope was the earliest tool

of cytologists

• Allowed identification of organelles within

cells

• Organelles are membrane-bound

structures, such as nuclei, mitochondria,
and chloroplasts
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Useful tools in early microscopy

• The microtome (mid-1800s) allowed preparation of

very thin slices of samples

• A variety of dyes for staining cells began to be used

around the same time

o Hematoxylin for nuclei and eosin for cytoplasm

(H&E stain)

• These improved the limit of resolution (how far apart

objects must be to appear as distinct)

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http://www.medequipsource.com/wp-content/uploads/Microtome-Ribbon-on-Leica-Microtome-Medical-Equipment-Source3.jpg

Video for demonstration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnMdSgd5mts 14
Cytoplasm (pink) Nuclei (blue / black)

https://laboratoryinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/gliageek_TLDLx200.jpg

Video for demonstration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D0rj0m6dVs
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Visualization of Cells

• The light microscopy so far described is called

brightfield microscopy, as white light is passed
through a specimen

• Some preparations (fixing, embedding, and

staining) may distort tissues

• Various types of microscopy have been developed:

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o Phase contrast / differential interference
contrast microscopy exploit differences in the
phase of light passing through a structure with a
refractive index different than the surrounding
medium

o Fluorescence microscopy detects fluorescent

dyes, or labels, to show locations of substances in
the cell

o Confocal scanning uses a laser beam to

illuminate a single plane of a fluorescently labeled
specimen

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Brightfield Microscopes
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 Fluorescence Microscope
(with Phase Contrast / Differential Interference Contrast)
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Confocal Microscope
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The Electron Microscope
• The electron microscope, using a beam of
electrons rather than light, was a major
breakthrough for cell biology

• The limit of resolution of electron

microscopes is around 0.1-0.2 nm

• The magnification is very much higher than

light microscopes
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Electron microscopy

• In transmission electron microscopy (TEM),

electrons are transmitted through the specimen

• In scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the

surface of a specimen is scanned, by detecting
electrons deflected from the outer surface

• Specialized approaches in electron microscopy allow

for visualization of specimens in three dimensions

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TEM SEM
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