The Cell
Observed by Light and Electron Microscopy
Overview of the Cellular Organelles
Light Microscopy – Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) Stain
Basophilic (blue) Nuclei
Eosinophilic (red)
cytoplasm
Colorized low mag TEM of a cell
Red = Mitos
Blue = Ribos
Green = RER
Colorized TEM of a cell nucleus
Arrow = Nucleolus
Red = Mitos
Green = RER
Nuclear Structures
Low mag TEM of a nuclei
Nuclear pores (arrows) Nuclear pores (en face)
Colorized TEM of nuclear pores (blue) en face
High mag TEM of a nucleolus
Pars fibrosa/granulosa (dense black) and
fibrillar center (arrow)
TEM of interphase nuclei and a mitotic cell with condensed chromosomes (arrow)
Cytoplasmic Structures
Ribosomes, RER and Glogi
Ribosomes by light microscopy = basophilic cytoplasm
TEMs of free ribosomes – 25 nm granules – in clusters called polysomes
Colorized TEM of polysomes (yellow highlighted)
Low mag TEM of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)
Colorized higher mag TEM of RER (green)
TEM of RER – arrows indicate cisternae
Low mag TEM of RER and Golgi (Go)
Colorized TEM of a Golgi system
TEM of a Golgi system
TEM of lysosomes (arrows) & a residual body
Residual Body
Cytoplasmic inclusions by Light Microscopy
Basophilic granules (top picture)
Eosinophilic granules (bottom picture)
Colorized TEM of Mitochrondria (red)
TEMs of Mitochrondrial shapes
TEM of a Mitochrondrion
Arrows = cristae
Light microscopy of mitotic spindles = Microtubules
Colorized TEM of Cilia in cross section showing microtubules
Immunofluorescence of Microtubules in cultured cells (green)
TEM of Microfilaments (arrows)
Immunofluorescence of microfilament stress fibers in cultured cells
High mag TEM of two cell membranes (unit membrane)
Colorized TEM of two cell membranes (unit membrane)
TEMs of membrane specializations
Top 4 = microvilli
Middle = Stereo cilia
Bottom = Cilia
TEM of Cilia (C) with microtubular cores forming from basal
bodies (BB)
High mag TEM of Cilia with
microtubular cores (Fil) with the basal body (FiC) at top of
image