Advanced Microscopy for an Undergraduate Cell Biology Laboratory

生物科学(61)成像技术的进步使光学显微镜成为本世纪研究细胞功能最强大的工具之一。我们不再局限于对死亡标本的描述性研究；我们可以想象活细胞进行生命所需的基本过程。这个项目的目标是将现代光学显微镜技术，包括荧光成像，融入到为本科生细胞生物学课程设计的实验室练习中。显微镜配备了摄像机和电脑，供学生以数字格式记录他们的结果。这门细胞生物学课程有一个高度互动的基于计算机的部分。在所有实验练习中，成对的学生表演不同的中心实验主题，并将结果发布在课程网页上。该网站不仅为学生提供了一个讨论和评估各种数据的互动论坛，而且还为其他学院和大学的教职员工提供了一个资源，他们希望将这种先进的成像技术融入他们的课程。这门课程为这些实验练习提供了一个很好的测试场地，那些被证明适合更大规模招生课程的课程正在被改编成更一般的细胞生物学课程。该项目是对肯特州立大学、德克萨斯农工大学、戴维森学院和哈弗福德学院类似课程的改编。

Biological Sciences (61) Advances in imaging technology have made the light microscope one of the most powerful tools of this century to study cell function. We are no longer limited to descriptive studies of dead specimens; we can image live cells carrying out the fundamental processes required for life. The objective of this project is to incorporate modern light microscopic techniques, including fluorescence imaging, into laboratory exercises designed for an undergraduate cell biology course. The microscopes are equipped with video cameras and computers for students to record their results in a digital format. This cell biology course has a highly interactive computer-based component. For all laboratory exercises, pairs of students perform variations of a central experimental theme and post their results on a course web page. The web site not only provides an interactive forum for students to discuss and evaluate a variety of data, but also serves as a resource for faculty at other colleges and universities who would like to incorporate this advanced imaging technology into their courses. This course provides an excellent testing ground for these lab exercises, and those which prove amenable to larger enrollment courses are being adapted for more general cell biology courses. The project is an adaptation of similar programs at Kent State University, Texas A&M University, Davidson College and Haverford College.