Instructions
Aleena, please use this page as your science notebook for your summer internship – all your answers, observations, questions, and results – all should be added here on this page (you can add text and post pictures here; using this page will also teach you how to use the WordPress platform). I will be adding comments here as well. Please start with internet research regarding the instrument you received by answering the following questions (copy/paste will not work, you will need to perform the internet research using google.com and then write your own answers to the following questions):
Research About the Instrument
Model and name of the instrument? The name of the instrument is a VWR VistaVision Inverted Microscope. The model number is 82026-630.
What is it used for? The instrument can be used for tissue observation, life sciences, observation of cells, clear liquid tissues, live cell applications, cell culture, and scientific research. People can use these microscopes to analyze metallurgical samples and for the observation of live or living cells, tissues, or specimens. Additionally, cell division, which is a live process, can be examined as well. The reason that an inverted microscope is useful is because it has the ability to maintain a natural environment for the sample, by providing the opportunity to keep the culture in a larger container with a cover that would prevent evaporation and gas exchange, allowing it to live for a longer period of time. This also benefits the researcher because it allows them to examine and analyze the life processes of the specimen for a longer period of time, which is a major advantage over using a compound light microscope. Lastly, this microscope allows the observer to closely watch living specimens at a microscopic level, permits the use of programs called Kohler Illumination, DIC and phase contrast optics, that allow enhancement of the image, and it has the option of attaching digital recording equipment that can document the data.
Who needs it? People in occupations that involve live specimen observation would typically be the ones to use an inverted microscope similar to the VWR VistaVision Inverted Microscope. For example, Microbiologists are individuals who analyze samples and identify microorganisms and bacteria. They can collect samples of water from a lake, swamp, or something of that sort, store the water sample in a small container, and directly look at the contents of the container using the microscope. Another occupation that uses these types of microscopes are certain healthcare workers or even Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists that work closely with animals or people. Healthcare workers will often use these types of microscopes when collecting samples from people and identifying pathogens or microbes in the patient’s system. Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists also collect samples from animals analyze them and grow cultures for the purpose of researching dietary habits and/or identifying whether or not an animal is infected with a disease by locating the pathogen in their samples.
What parts is it made of? This instrument has ten structural features. It has an eyepiece, a trinocular head, a phase contrast condenser, a Halogen lamp box, the body frame, a mechanical stage, the objective, nose piece, focusing knobs, and the eyepiece tube.
How does it work? Basically an inverted microscope is designed with a specific lens called the condenser lens and the light source located above the place where the slides with the specimen would be located. The condenser lens is a type of lens that takes the light source and concentrates the light. Also, the different between a regular microscope or an upright one and an inverted one is that with a regular microscope you look down at the specimen, while with the inverted one you look up to analyze it.
Were you able to find an instrument manual online? Yes. I was able to find a couple of very useful instruction manual for the instrument.
Read the manual. Describe what was clear in the manual and what was confusing: The following information is what I learned in the instruction manual. The first obvious step that I need to do is turn on the microscope. It is important that I do not leave the light on for a prolonged period of time at the brightest position or else the life of the bulb may be shortened. Next, I need to move the condenser into an optimal working position until the two drawn lines on the instrument line up. The only issue is, is that my microscope does not have a visible line, as it may have worn away. However, I am able to estimate. Third, I need to set the phase contact puller to the central light hole. Then I adjusted the diopter ring to the zero position. Next I u\adjuster the interpupillary distance by moving the left and right fame body of the instrument in order to make it so I observe only one circle instead of two overlapping circles. Next I need to put a slide underneath the microscope and adjust the view to make it clear using the course and fine focus knobs. I understand that when I view the image it needs to take up the entire circle and not be a small circle in the black area.
Research About Histology
Read the details on what is Histology, how H&E works, how to identify different type of cells and tissue (how different disease cells/tissues look?):
A Beginner’s Guide to Haematoxylin and Eosin Staining
https://histology.leeds.ac.uk/what-is-histology/H_and_E.php
After you have completed internet research, try to turn on the instrument and see what happens. Make a picture and post it here. You may be missing power cord and/or adapter cables (find out what cords/cables/adapters are missing, find missing part on Amazon or Ebay, and post Amazon/Ebay link here, so I can get you the missing part). Some instruments been in storage and are very dusty – clean them with Windex spray and paper towels (your parents got a cleaning supplies cabinet somewhere in your house, find it).
Try to operate the instrument using the manual … is it working? Do you need certain supplies to make it work? Find the catalog numbers (from the manual) of the required supplies, where from they are available and post here links of what we need to order. Post here results of your testing, and how do you plan to move forward.
Sources
Inverted Microscope
Which Careers Use Microscopes?
Cells
8/15/2020: Internship was not completed by 8/15/2020.