An aid in the teaching of cytology

Overview of the Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments present within the cell, having three distinct filaments ̶   microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. Each has characteristic features that distinguish them, including the dynamics of their assembly and disassembly, mechanical properties, polarity, and the type of molecular motors associated with them. Earlier, they were thought to be present only in eukaryotic cells; however, their homologs were...

Describing the number and physical features of chromosomes can reveal abnormalities that underlie genetic diseases. This description is facilitated by special staining techniques that produce a particular banding pattern on each chromosome. State-of-the-art techniques make this approach even more powerful, enabling the detection of individual genes that cause disease.A Simple Chromosome Staining Technique Provides Valuable Scientific InsightSome genetic diseases can be detected by looking at...

Immunocytochemistry (ICC) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) are techniques that use antibodies to check for specific proteins or antigens in a sample. The technique was first published by Albert Coons in 1941 to detect the presence of pneumococcal antigen in tissue sections from mice infected with Pneumococcus. Immunocytochemistry helps localization of proteins or antigens in individual cells like blood cells, stem cells, etc., while immunohistochemistry does the same for tissue samples.
These...

OverviewStaining techniques in microscopy enhance the visualization of microorganisms by increasing contrast and allowing the differentiation of cellular structures. Simple staining is one of the fundamental methods used to observe the basic morphological characteristics of microorganisms, including their size, shape, and arrangement. This method relies on the application of a single dye to stain the entire cell, producing a clear contrast between the cell and the background.FixationFixation is...

Two basic types of preparation are used to visualize specimens with a light microscope: wet mounts and fixed specimens.
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...

The development of flow cytometry techniques began in 1934 with initial attempts by Andrew Moldavan, a bacteriologist who counted the cells in a flowing capillary system. Moldavan pumped cells through a capillary tube focused under a microscope for visualization. The invention of photometry allowed the measurement of differentially-stained cells, and Louis Kamentsky developed the first multiparameter flow cytometer in 1965 to identify and count the cancer cells in cervical tissue specimens.
In...