There are three main ways to prepare microscope slides: wet mounts, dry mounts, and smears.
Wet mounting is the most common method, and involves adding a fixative such as formalin or ethanol to the sample and then making the slide. This fixes the specimen in place and makes it easy to see.
Dry mounting is similar to wet mounting, but adds an agent that makes the sample harden so that it will not move. This method is used most often for specimens that need to be fixed in place but do not need any additional preservation.
Smearing is a less common technique that uses liquid media to spread out cells or other small objects. This can be useful for demonstratingcellular Detail or for identifying specific proteins.