Claire Jordan

<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized">
 <img alt="moth eye_2" class="wp-image-123524 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="123524" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.5","credit":"","camera":"SM-G960U","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1548979010","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.3","iso":"125","shutter_speed":"0.028571428571429","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="moth eye_2" height="436" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_123512/moth-eye_2-1.jpg" width="325"/>
 <figcaption>
 This image depicts a large, circular black mass, which I took to be the moth’s eye. The image quality is not ideal due to the large size of the section and zoom capacity of the foldscope.
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 After noticing a pesky moth flying around my room, I decided to observe it with my foldscope. After catching the moth in an empty container, being careful not to crush it, I placed the insect in the freezer, effectively kill it and increasing the ease of the dissection process. I initially hoped to look at the moth’s wing under the microscope; however, I did not anticipate the difficulty of handling moth wings. Even after I cut one off, the section appeared too opaque for observation.

<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized">
 <img alt="moth legs" class="wp-image-123526 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="123526" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.5","credit":"","camera":"SM-G960U","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549218311","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.3","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="moth legs" height="420" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_123512/moth-legs-1.jpg" width="315"/>
 <figcaption>
 
 This image depicts the moth’s bent front leg, just below its eye.
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 I placed the remaining section on a microscope slide and placed two pieces of tape on either side of the sample to ensure that I didn’t crush the moth when I positioned the cover slip. The resulting images appear slightly dark and blurry, which I attribute to the girth of the moth sample. With more precise tools, I would have liked to cut the moth into thin sections to have better visibility of individual cells.
 

<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized">
 <img alt="moth leg" class="wp-image-123525 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="123525" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"1.5","credit":"","camera":"SM-G960U","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1548978910","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.3","iso":"80","shutter_speed":"0.002","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="moth leg" height="327" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_123512/moth-leg-1.jpg" width="319"/>
 <figcaption>
 I was surprised to discover, when positioning the moth, how easily the moth’s legs stuck to the tweezer. The image depicts one of the moth’s joints, which I had been using to rotate the moth on the slide. The flake-like sections appear to be small pieces of the leg that I accidentally brushed off. Their translucence is a stark contrast to the dark, solid appearence of the leg.
 </figcaption>
</figure>

Moth Observation &#8211; Bio60_2019

<figure class="wp-block-image">
 <img alt="20190207_182554[15485]" class="wp-image-129976 gcloudimg" data-attachment-id="129976" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta='{"aperture":"2.4","credit":"","camera":"SM-G960U","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1549563954","copyright":"","focal_length":"4.3","iso":"50","shutter_speed":"0.015625","title":"","orientation":"1"}' data-image-title="20190207_182554[15485]" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/microcosmosdelta.appspot.com/images/transfer_129971/20190207_18255415485.jpg"/>
 <figcaption>
 The mouse spleen sections appeared slightly fuzzy and monochromatic under the foldscope. The magnitude on the foldscope might not have been strong enough to view the spleen in more detail. The rip in the upper right corner most likely occurred when I was positioning the section on the slide.
 </figcaption>
</figure>

 Firstly, the credit of cutting these mouse spleen sections belongs to Nolan, a research assistant from the lab I work in, who kindly donated these sections for my assignment. The sections were originally submerged in liquid in a well plate to be used for immunofluorescence staining. Using a paint brush, I lifted each section out from my designated well and placed them into water. I then carefully positioned eight of the sections onto a microscope slide with a paintbrush. I had previous experience with painting spinal cord sections; however, this process was more challenging because I used a surgical microscope to watch my movements with more detail. I had never used a microscope when painting slides before and accidentally ripped some of the sections, one of which can be seen in the image.
 


 The slide is meant to be viewed under a powerful fluorescence microscope to view the fluorescent markers on the cells. Under the foldscope, the sections appear monochromatic and look like a consistent texture rather than individual cells. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the challenge of mounting this slide.

Claire Jordan

Earth

Posts

Moth Observation – Bio60_2019

Mouse Spleen Sections – Bio60_2019

Locations

Statistics

Type of Sample

Foldscope Lens Magnification