Use your own blood smear and select the more homogeneous portion for observation. Since leukocytes are unevenly distributed on the blood smear, with large cells (e.g., monocytes and granulocytes) mostly distributed on the sides and tail of the blood smear, and small cells (e.g., lymphocytes) mostly distributed in the center, look for them according to this distribution pattern.
Operation method
Observation experiments on blood cells and platelets
Materials and Instruments
Blood Move Use a blood smear of your own making and select the more homogeneous portions for observation. Since leukocytes are unevenly distributed on the blood smear, with large cells (e.g., monocytes and granulocytes) more often distributed on the sides and tail of the blood smear, and small cells (e.g., lymphocytes) more often distributed in the center (Fig. 4), look for them according to this distribution pattern. For more product details, please visit Aladdin Scientific website.
Slides Coverslips Skimmed absorbent cotton Blood piercing needles Oil for oil microscope Microscope
(i) Red blood cells
The largest number, small and round, no nucleus, light red, the central part of the coloring is lighter than the surrounding. Why?
(ii) White blood cells
1. Sex granulocytes are numerous and easy to find, the cytoplasm contains small and evenly distributed light purplish-red neutrophils. The nucleus is purple and lobulated, with chromatin filaments connecting the lobes. How many lobes do you see the nucleus divided into?
2. eosinophils are fewer in number and have many coarse reddish eosinophilic granules in the cytoplasm. The nucleus is purple and is also lobulated, usually into two lobes.
3. Basophilic granulocytes are few in number and difficult to find on smears. The cytoplasm contains many basophilic granules of varying sizes, stained purple. The nucleus is irregular, also stained purple, but the staining is slightly lighter, often masked by basophilic granules.
4. Lymphocytes The number of lymphocytes is large, and medium and small lymphocytes are seen. Small lymphocytes are about the same size as erythrocytes, with a round nucleus, often with a small depression on one side, the nucleus occupies most of the cell volume, stained darkly, with little cytoplasm, surrounding the nucleus, which is stained azure. Medium-sized lymphocytes are larger than erythrocytes, with more cytoplasm, lighter coloring, and a few tiny purplish-red azurophilic granules can be seen in the cytoplasm of some of them. The nuclei were round or nearly kidney-shaped and stained darkly.
5. Monocytes are few in number and are the largest cells in the blood. The nucleus is kidney-shaped or horseshoe-shaped, the nucleoplasm is looser than lymphocytes, arranged in a coarse mesh, so the staining is not as deep as that of lymphocytes. The cytoplasm is light grayish blue, and some monocytes also contain cyanophilic particles in the cytoplasm.
(iii) Platelets
The platelets are irregularly shaped bodies with a diameter of about 2-3 μm. the surrounding part of the platelet is light blue, with tiny purplish-red granules in the center, and the platelets are often grouped together.
(d) Demonstration of electron microscope pictures of blood cells.
1. erythrocytes Observe with the scanning electron microscope picture of erythrocytes, and pay attention to the differences in the morphology of their top and side views.
2. neutrophils Observe with transmission electron microscope pictures. There are a large number of particles in the cytoplasm, which can be categorized into two kinds: the particles are smaller in size, more in number, round, rod-shaped, dumbbell-shaped are special particles; the particles are larger in size, high in electron density, fewer in number, and round or elliptical are asphaltenophilic particles.
3. eosinophilic granulocytes Observe with transmission electron microscope pictures. The granules in the cytoplasm are larger than those of neutrophils, and the granules are oval, membrane-encapsulated, and contain granular matrix and square crystals.
4. basophilic granulocytes Observed with a transmission electron microscope picture. The granules in the cytoplasm are also larger than those of neutrophils, and the granules are filled with fine particles.
5. lymphocytes Observed with a transmission electron microscope picture. The cytoplasm has a large number of free ribosomes and other organelles are not well developed.
6. Monocyte Observed with transmission electron microscope pictures, there are folds and microvilli on the cell surface, and there are many phagocytic vesicles and smaller azurophilic granules in the cytoplasm. The nucleus is parabasic, the chromatin granules are fine and loose, and the nuclear electron density is low.