Kitten Baby Tooth Under the Microscope

Kittens, just like children, lose their baby teeth. Meet Flame and Bobbi, brother and sister kittens. One of them recently lost a kitten tooth. We placed the tooth under the FZ6-ILS2 stereo zoom microscope and the DCM5 microscope camera with 5 megapixels to capture the images.

Flame and Bobbi

Kitten tooth under the FZ6 stereo microscope at 25x.

Kitten tooth under the FZ6 stereo microscope at 25x.

Polarizing Microscope Images

R40POL Polarizing Microscope

The images below are thin sections of rocks and minerals.  They were captured using the PAXcam microscope camera on the R40POL transmitted light polarizing microscope. The images appear different in some of the photos because the polarizer and analyzer were adjusted.

Polarizing microscopes are typically used in geology and petrology for viewing thin sections of rocks. Additionally, polarizing microscopes are often used in the pharmaceutical industry when viewing drugs and chemical compounds. Most drugs when viewed under the microscope create a beautiful array of colors.

The PAXcam2 is a 2 megapixel color microscope camera with a CMOS chip in it. The images below were captured using the PAXit! Basic Measurement Software.

Thin rock section under the R40POL polarizing microscope with PAXcam microscope camera.

Thin rock section under the R40POL polarizing microscope with PAXcam microscope camera.

Thin rock section under the R40POL polarizing microscope with PAXcam microscope camera.

Thin rock section under the R40POL polarizing microscope with PAXcam microscope camera.

Thin rock section under the R40POL polarizing microscope with PAXcam microscope camera.

Thin rock section under the R40POL polarizing microscope with PAXcam microscope camera.

For more information about the R40POL polarizing microscope, PAXcam microscope cameras or any other microscope configuration, please contact Microscope World.

Tongue Taste Buds Under the Microscope

Taste buds are small organs located on the tongue in terrestrial vertebrates that function in the perception of taste. In fish, taste buds occur on the lips, the flanks, and the caudal (tail) fins of some species and on the barbels of catfish.

Taste receptor cells occur in the tongue in groups of 50-150. They interact with incoming chemicals from food and other sources. Each of these groups forms a taste bud, which is grouped together with other taste buds into taste papillae. The taste buds are embedded in the epithelium of the tongue and make contact with the outside environment through a taste pore. Slender processes (microvilli) extend from the outer ends of the receptor cells through the taste pores, where the processes are covered by the mucus the lines the oral cavity. At their inner ends the taste receptor cells synapse, or connect, with afferent sensory neurons, which are nerve cells that conduct information to the brain. Each receptor cell synapses with several afferent sensory neurons and each afferent neuron branches to several taste papillae, which each branch makes contact with many receptor cells. The afferent sensory neurons occur in three different nerves running to the brain - the facial nerve, the glossopharyngeal nerve and the vagus nerve. Taste receptor cells of vertebrates are continually renewed throughout the life of the organism.

Taste Buds under the RB20D Digital Microscope at 40x.

On average, the human tongue has 2,000 - 8,000 taste buds, implying that there are hundreds of thousands of receptor cells. However, the number of taste buds varies widely. For example, per square centimeter on the tip of the tongue, some people may have only a few individual taste buds, whereas others may have more than one thousand. This variability contributes to differences in the taste sensations experienced by different people. Taste sensations produced within an individual taste bud also vary, since each taste bud typically contains receptor cells that respond to distinct chemical stimuli, as opposed to the same chemical stimulus. As a result, the sensation of different tastes (i.e. salty, sweet, sour, bitter, or umami) is diverse not only within a single taste bud, but also throughout the surface of the tongue.

Taste Buds under the RB20D Digital Microscope at 100x.

The taste receptor cells of other animals can often be characterized in ways similar to those of humans, because all animals have the same basic needs in selecting food.

Carnivores, but not humans, have taste buds that are tuned for water. This taste sense is found at the tip of the tongue for example dogs curl while lapping water. This area responds to water at all times but when the dog has eaten salty or sugary foods the sensitivity to the taste of water increases. The guess is that this ability to taste water evolved as a way for the body to keep internal fluids in balance after the animal has eaten things that will either result in more urine being passed, or will require more water to adequately process.

Taste Buds under the RB20D Digital Microscope at 400x using a Plan Fluor Objective Lens.

The images shown on this page are taste buds from a rabbit and were captured using the RB20D digital biological microscope.

Why Use Microscope Immersion Oil?

When light passes from a material of one refractive index to another (for example: from glass to air), it bends. When using the 100x oil immersion objective without immersion oil, light is being lost when it passes from the glass slide, through the air, to the glass objective lens. In short, the light is bending, resulting in a microscopy image that is less crisp and clear than if immersion oil were being used with that same lens.

Take a look at the example below - these images were captured using the UX1 Achromat microscope 100x oil immersion lens. The first image was captured dry, the second using microscope immersion oil.

Duodenum captured using a 100x achromat oil lens dry (without immersion oil).

Duodenum captured using a 100x achromat oil lens with immersion oil.

Visit this "Microscope Immersion Oil Explained" page to learn more about why, when and how to use immersion oil.

High Resolution Stereo Zoom HD Microscopes

Microscope World has several new high resolution stereo zoom microscopes that come equipped with a high definition HD camera and a 12" LCD HD monitor.

The FZ6ILS2-HD stereo microscope provides magnification of 6.7x - 45x and bright LED top and bottom illumination. Magnification can be increased up to 180x with optional auxilary lenses and eyepieces. This microscope is perfect for industrial live work under the microscope because the camera provides 60 frames per second and full HD resolution.

The tablet LCD HD monitor connects directly to the HD camera and provides crisp and clear images without cluttering the work surface or desktop table.

The FZ6BBSQ-HD stereo boom microscope is mounted on a ball bearing boom stand to provide easy access and room for larger objects. The viewing head of this microscope rotates and the ball bearing boom stand slides horizontally. Illumination options include LED ring lights or dual pipe lights. This stereo zoom microscope uses the same high definition HD camera and 12" HD LCD monitor. The camera provides a high frame rate of 60fps at full HD 1080p resolution. Optional auxiliary lenses and eyepieces can be used to increase or decrease magnification and working distance.

The FZ6TS-HD digital stereo microscope is currently on sale and includes a 4-quadrant LED ring light for reducing glare when viewing reflective parts. The track stand has coarse focusing with smooth adjustment. The HD camera and 12" HD LCD monitor allows for live image viewing and image capture with an SD card. This HD microscope is best for small parts where no transmitted illumination is required. This microscope is available with click-stops if precise measurements need to be made.



Contact Microscope World with any questions about HD microscope cameras and HD monitors.