Mounting of the section on a glass slide or metal grid. Staining of the section with one or more reagents, e.g., solutions of metallic salts, in one or more stages. For light microscopy, the removal of surplus stain and water, and steps involved in holding a thin glass coverslip to the section with a mounting medium having a refractive index close to that of glass. Observation and recording by means of the microscope, and notes, photomicrography, projection drawing, labelled sketches, counting and reconstructions, digital and videorecording. A drawback to using our eyes as part of the observing instrument is that the visual system does not record accurately.
Memory is unreliable.
The main distinction is between light microscopy and electron microscopy. The usual light microscope uses a visible light source with a system of condenser lenses to send the light through the object to be examined. The image of this object is then magnified by two sets of lenses, the objective and the eyepiece. The only way to improve resolving power is to reduce substantially the wavelength of the light. This is achieved by the electromagnetic beam of the electron microscope.