Histochemistry: live and in color
1Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia 20147, USA. lavisl@janelia.hhmi.org
Summary
Histochemistry uses chemistry to visualize biological tissues and cells. Modern techniques enable imaging in living cells using advanced labeling and organic fluorophores.
Area of Science:
- * Integrates organic chemistry, biochemistry, and biology for biological imaging.
- * Focuses on the chemical principles behind visualizing cellular and tissue structures.
Background:
- * Histochemistry, the chemistry of biological tissues, is crucial for microscopy.
- * Over a century, interdisciplinary integration has advanced cell and tissue imaging.
- * Current methods leverage cellular chemical environments for visualization.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To review current histochemical labeling techniques for live-cell imaging.
- * To discuss the application of organic fluorophores in live-cell histochemistry.
Main Methods:
- * Exploitation of unique cellular chemical environments.
- * Utilization of heterologous expression techniques.
- * Application of enzymatic activity for visualization.
Main Results:
- * Histochemical methods can visualize structures within living cells.
- * Focus on labeling techniques and organic fluorophores is key.
Conclusions:
- * Histochemistry is vital for understanding biological structures at the molecular level.
- * Advancements enable dynamic visualization of cellular processes in living systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Special Staining Techniques
Specialized staining techniques play a vital role in microbiology by enabling the visualization of specific bacterial structures that remain undetectable with standard microscopy methods. These techniques not only enhance the structural visualization of bacterial cells but also provide critical insights into their pathogenicity and classification. Additionally, they support diagnostic and research endeavors in microbiology by identifying key bacterial features.Capsule Staining for Virulence...
01:03Fixation and Sectioning
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 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...
01:26Stomach Histology
The stomach comprises several layers that work together to facilitate digestion and protect the organ. The outermost layer is called the serosa, which provides support and protection to the stomach. The muscularis externa layer is responsible for the mechanical breakdown of food by contracting and moving the stomach. The submucosa layer, located beneath the muscularis externa, contains connective tissue, blood vessels, nerves, and glands that secrete mucus and other substances essential for...
01:27Liver Histology
The microscopic anatomy of the liver is a complex and intricate system that comprises numerous structural units known as liver lobules, each of which is comparable in size to a sesame seed. These hexagonal structures consist of plates of liver cells or hepatocytes, which are characterized by their versatility and abundance of cellular apparatus like rough and smooth ER, Golgi apparatus, peroxisomes, and mitochondria.
Hepatocytes perform a variety of essential functions. They secrete...
Hepatocytes perform a variety of essential functions. They secrete...
01:24Simple Staining Technique
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...
02:07FISH - Fluorescent In-situ Hybridization
Fluorescence in situ hybridization, or FISH, was developed in the early 1980s and has quickly become one of the most widely used techniques in cytogenetics. Labeled probes are used to bind complementary DNA or RNA sequences on a chromosome or in a region within a cell. Earlier, the probes could only be obtained by cloning or reverse transcription of a DNA template. Currently, the probe oligonucleotides can be synthesized synthetically. Additionally, with the advancement of optical techniques,...