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BIOLOGY 152 - Organisms and Populations

Fall 2005

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is used to support lab sessions for over 120 students in the Fall Intro Bio course. In lab exercises during the week of Oct. 31, small groups of 8 students at a time were brought through the Electron Microscopy Facility located in the Life Sciences Center. There they were able to experience first-hand the use of ultramicrotomes, the light microscope, and the TEM to examine murine cardiac tissue.

(below) A micrograph of longitudinally sectioned murine cardiac muscle. Red blood cells (e), mitochondria (m), muscle fibers (M) and a cellular nucleus (N) are visible.

 (below, left) Longitudinal section of murine cardiac muscle, clearly showing both the isotropic (I) and anisotropic (A) bands. Several mitochondria surround the group of myofibrils.
(below, right) This image showcases the striated nature of cardiac muscle.
(below, left) Murine cardiac muscle. The dark undulating band near the center of the image is an intercalated disk, a junction between adjacent cardiac muscle cells that unites the two for both mechanical and electrical processes.
(below, right) An intercalated disk at higher magnification.
(below, left) A cross-sectional view of murine cardiac muscle. Bundles of myofibrils appear as small points and are surrounded by large, darkly-staining mitochondria.
(below, right) A closer look at cross-sectioned cardiac muscle myofibrils.