Light Microscopy

Compound Microscope

The EM Unit has an Olympus BHS microscope equipped with a Model BH2-RFL attachment for fluorescence microscopy.

• When used with transmitted light it can be operated in brightfield, phase contrast or differential interference contrast (Nomarski) modes
• Illumination from the mercury burner allows bright, clear fluorescent image formation against a dark background
• Magnification ranges from x40 to x1000
• The microscope is fitted with the new Leica DC300 F digital camera for the acquisition of digital images with dimensions of up to 1950 x 1545 pixels.

Micrographs taken with this equipment.

Transverse section through a leaf of Phebalium glandulosum, stained with Toluidine blue.

Transverse section of unfolding leaf within coleoptile of Hordeum vulgare, stained with calcofluor.

Dissecting Microscopes

The microscopy facility now also has a Leica MZ FLIII fluorescent dissecting microscope for the imaging of fluorescently labelled whole cells and tissues, with magnifications up to 400x.

We also have a Leica MZ6 dissecting microscope with vertical illumination and flexible light guides for routine specimen preparation.