Rather than simply look at and memorize the structures of all the vertebrate tissues, we will try to learn how to analyze and interpret the microanatomy of a few selected tissues and organs. The goal is to be able to understand better how a tissue functions by examining its structure. To be able to do that requires some theoretical knowledge of cell biology and anatomy, and just as importantly some specific practical skills, many of which you will learn in this course. The subject covered in this course is by it's nature visual . Microscopists face this question daily, since, as you will soon appreciate, we can never be certain that what we see in the microscope represents the real world.
Class meetings combine lecture, discussion, demonstration, and lab work.
Compared to other biology courses, there will be relatively little outside reading. This is primarily a course in laboratory investigation. However, since most lab procedures take more than two hours, you are expected to spend time outside of class working in the lab . The lab will be open during the day and also available evenings using a key that you can check out from the science library. Understand the basic theory of light microscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy.