On the importance of a proper goodbye

Connective tissue proper is a class of connective tissue that encompasses all mature connective tissues except bone, cartilage, blood, and lymph. This extensive class of tissues has two subclasses — loose and dense connective tissues — classified based on the protein fiber arrangement and the amount of ground substance. 
The loose connective tissues have a meshwork of thin collagen and elastin fibers, which provide tensile strength for support and enough elasticity to move...

Robert M. Rioux & Zhifeng Chen, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Autoclaving is one of the most commonly used methods in the laboratory for the purpose of decontamination. The most common items decontaminated with an autoclave are those that contact biological samples (typically those containing microorganisms). An autoclave works by utilizing pressurized high temperature steam to kill microorganisms present in the loaded materials. Sufficient steam flow and heat transfer...

Fascia, a thin layer of fibrous connective tissue, is distributed throughout the body. It demarcates and forms a supportive covering over skeletal muscles, bones, blood vessels, and organs. There are three main types of facia— superficial fascia, deep fascia, and subserous fascia. These are all present at different depths in the body. Fascia reduces the friction and permits muscles, joints, and organs to easily slide against each other, facilitating movement of the body and preventing...

Robert M. Rioux and Taslima A. Zaman, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, PA

Robert M. Rioux & William A Elliott, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Hazards are many and varied in the laboratory, but the right choice of PPE can make the laboratory a safe place to...

Keeping the microscope optics clean is important for high-quality imaging. Dust, fingerprints, excess immersion oil, or mounting medium on or in a microscope causes reduction in contrast and resolution. DIC is especially sensitive to contamination and scratches on the lens surfaces. This protocol details the procedure for keeping the microscope...