For those with microscopes - preparing specimens.

[arvensis]

Hi all,
Having had a microscope now for a couple of years gathering dust, I've decided to put it back into action. When I used it originally, my specimen preperation wasn't exactly brilliant and the couldn't find the features I was after all the time, cystidia etc...

So for those of you using scopes now, please do you have any hints and tips on specimen preparation so I can find those features, key for id'ing species. Also what stains are being used, I used to use congo red and would be interested in what others use.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Mark

[SheffieldLass]

Hi Mark

Check out the useful websites thread, if you haven't already done so ... I've put on 3 very useful links which are a good starting point for microscopy techniques.

cheers
Melanie

[Chris Yeates]

hi

as you're starting out (or re-starting) and will want to keep things simple; firstly you need to set up the scope for best results - it does make a lot of difference, see:

http://www.bmb.leeds.ac.uk/mbiology/...crosc/tut1.htm

and the other bit of advice I would give at this stage is try to use as small a piece of fungal material as possible for each mount - cap scalp, gill edge etc.

have fun

Chris