image techniques

Paramecium bursaria imaged with an array of contrast enhacement techniques. All cells point towards the center of the circle. The most visible components of the cell are the large macronucleus, an ajacent micronucleus, symbiotic algae, and the mouth. Bright field (Koehler illumination - (1 o'clock) shows the algae and major organelles, and these are made more strongly visible when the condesner iris is closed (2 o'clock). Phase contast tends to generate a lot of noise inside the cell (9 o'clock), whereas Nomarski (DIC or differential interference contrast - 10 o'clock) creates an image that is like a slice through the cell. Interference optics (3 o'clock)convert elements with different optical properties into different colours. Polarising optics (8 o'clock) only show refringent crystals weithin the cell. In dark ground (7 o'clock), the object is illuminated obliquely and only refracted light is visible. Illumination with ultraviolet light causes autofluorescence of the algae and the nucleus shows up because of the addition of DAPI (5 o'clock). The nucleus is also clearly visible in the cell that has been stained with Feulgen stain (for DNA - 12 o'clock). Cells dried in indian ink have ink collected in the depressions on the cell surface and the ink collects around the cell - this is referred to as negative staining (4 o'clock). Silver stains reveal the bases of the cilia (11 o'clock). The dowload file contains intermediate sized images of each technique. Images by D . J. Patterson.  This was added to the site by D. J. Patterson. Image copyright: D. J. Patterson, image used under license to MBL (micro*scope).

Paramecium bursaria

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Paramecium bursaria in this collection

Paramecium bursaria fluorescence

Paramecium bursaria in other collections

Paramecium bursaria, from Freshwater and Terrestrial Microbes of Idaho (USA) and Elsewhere	Paramecium bursaria, from Freshwater and Terrestrial Microbes of Idaho (USA) and Elsewhere	Paramecium bursaria, from Freshwater and Terrestrial Microbes of Idaho (USA) and Elsewhere	Paramecium bursaria, from Freshwater and Terrestrial Microbes of Idaho (USA) and Elsewhere	Paramecium bursaria, from Freshwater and Terrestrial Microbes of Idaho (USA) and Elsewhere
Paramecium bursaria, from Protozoan biomonitors in China	Paramecium bursaria, from Cumloden, Massachusetts, USA	Paramecium bursaria, from Limnic and marine Protists of Northern Germany and the Alps	Paramecium bursaria, from Images from Schewiakoff, 1896	Paramecium bursaria, from Ciliates from Ehrenberg -- 1838
Paramecium bursaria, from Cumloden, Massachusetts, USA	Paramecium bursaria, from Symbioses and associations at Yellowstone	Paramecium bursaria, from Audley Bottom	Paramecium bursaria, from Athens, Georgia, USA	Paramecium bursaria, from Cumloden, Massachusetts, USA
Paramecium bursaria, from Cumloden, Massachusetts, USA