TOOLS IN CELL BIOLOGY

Light microscope  Dead cells and tissues

 Bacteria
 Structure
 Process: Fixation, Embedding,
Section, Staining

Phase contrast microscopy  Living cells

 Unstained
 Shape and behavior

Fluorescent microscopy  Fluorescent dyes to stain cells or

coupled to antibodies to stain
specific proteins or proteins
introduced by genetic
engineering
 In vivo or in vitro
 Follow and study cell fate or
distribution
 Immunofluorescence: used in
fixed cells or tissues

Transmission electron microscope  Detailed structure of membranes

and organelles
 Antibodies attached to gold can
be used to detect specific
molecules in sub-cellular
 compartments (Inmunogold)

Scanning electron microscope  3D views of surfaces of cells and

tissues