BIO 353 Exam 1 Study Guide
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
The Cell - ✔✔Basic unit of life
What are the major organelles/structures of a basic eukaryotic animal cell? -
✔✔Nucleolus, nucleus, nuclear envelope, nuclear pore, chromatin (DNA),
mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, actin filaments, microtubule,
peroxisome, ribosomes in cytosol, intermediate filaments, lysosome, vesicles,
centrosome w/ pair of centrioles, plasma membrane, extracellular matrix
What are the three major disciplines that are involved in studying cell biology - ✔✔1.
Bioimaging - study of cellular structure and organization
2. Biochemistry - study of chemical reactions of biomolecules
3. Molecular biology/genetics - study of interactions and regulation b/w cellular
components including DNA, RNA, & protein synthesis
What is light microscopy? - ✔✔Uses focused light & lenses to magnify a cell
What is the resolution limit of the light microscope? - ✔✔0.2 µm
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,Define resolution - ✔✔Measure of the smallest distance 2 structures can be apart & still
see them as 2 discrete structures
Define magnification - ✔✔A measure of the increase in the diameter of the structure
What is one of the major advantages of the basic light microscope? - ✔✔Live-cell
imaging
Describe how amplitude contrast works - ✔✔It is a form of contrast generated by
absorption of selective wavelengths from the visible light spectrum
What is required for amplitude contrast to work? - ✔✔Organic dye to color specific
regions of cells/tissues
Can the cells be alive when using amplitude contrast? - ✔✔No, they have to be dead
Describe how phase contrast works - ✔✔It is a form of contrast generated by change of
phase as the light travels through different densities of transparent specimen
What characteristic/behavior of light is phase contrast based on? - ✔✔Refraction of
light - change in direction of light determined by the change in the velocity of
propagation when passing through optically transparent media of different refractive
indices
Who developed phase contrast? - ✔✔Fritz Zernike
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
, Describe optical tweezers and how they can be used. - ✔✔Instrument that uses a
focused laser beam to provide an attractive or repulsive force, depending on the
refractive index mismatch to physically hold and move microscopic objects
Can the cells be alive when using phase contrast? - ✔✔Yes
Describe the basic idea of epifluorescence microscopy - ✔✔The use of a fluorescence
microscope allows detection of specific proteins or other molecules/ions/organelles
that are made fluorescent by coupling them to a fluorochrome marker
Explain the steps involved in Indirect Immuno-fluorescence Microscopy - ✔✔1.
Cells/tissues are fixed (killed)
2. Exposed to the primary antibody, the antibody binds only to a specific protein it
recognizes
3. Exposed to secondary antibody, the antibody binds only to the primary antibody. The
secondary antibody is coupled to a fluorochrome marker; thus location of protein in
cells/tissues are fluorescently labeled and may be viewed w/ a fluorescence microscope
Are the cells alive or dead for Indirect Immuno-fluorescence microscopy. - ✔✔Dead
What is GFP and how is it coupled to the proteins in different cellular structures? -
✔✔Green Fluorescent Protein; it is inserted into the protein
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
The Cell - ✔✔Basic unit of life
What are the major organelles/structures of a basic eukaryotic animal cell? -
✔✔Nucleolus, nucleus, nuclear envelope, nuclear pore, chromatin (DNA),
mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi complex, actin filaments, microtubule,
peroxisome, ribosomes in cytosol, intermediate filaments, lysosome, vesicles,
centrosome w/ pair of centrioles, plasma membrane, extracellular matrix
What are the three major disciplines that are involved in studying cell biology - ✔✔1.
Bioimaging - study of cellular structure and organization
2. Biochemistry - study of chemical reactions of biomolecules
3. Molecular biology/genetics - study of interactions and regulation b/w cellular
components including DNA, RNA, & protein synthesis
What is light microscopy? - ✔✔Uses focused light & lenses to magnify a cell
What is the resolution limit of the light microscope? - ✔✔0.2 µm
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 1
,Define resolution - ✔✔Measure of the smallest distance 2 structures can be apart & still
see them as 2 discrete structures
Define magnification - ✔✔A measure of the increase in the diameter of the structure
What is one of the major advantages of the basic light microscope? - ✔✔Live-cell
imaging
Describe how amplitude contrast works - ✔✔It is a form of contrast generated by
absorption of selective wavelengths from the visible light spectrum
What is required for amplitude contrast to work? - ✔✔Organic dye to color specific
regions of cells/tissues
Can the cells be alive when using amplitude contrast? - ✔✔No, they have to be dead
Describe how phase contrast works - ✔✔It is a form of contrast generated by change of
phase as the light travels through different densities of transparent specimen
What characteristic/behavior of light is phase contrast based on? - ✔✔Refraction of
light - change in direction of light determined by the change in the velocity of
propagation when passing through optically transparent media of different refractive
indices
Who developed phase contrast? - ✔✔Fritz Zernike
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 2
, Describe optical tweezers and how they can be used. - ✔✔Instrument that uses a
focused laser beam to provide an attractive or repulsive force, depending on the
refractive index mismatch to physically hold and move microscopic objects
Can the cells be alive when using phase contrast? - ✔✔Yes
Describe the basic idea of epifluorescence microscopy - ✔✔The use of a fluorescence
microscope allows detection of specific proteins or other molecules/ions/organelles
that are made fluorescent by coupling them to a fluorochrome marker
Explain the steps involved in Indirect Immuno-fluorescence Microscopy - ✔✔1.
Cells/tissues are fixed (killed)
2. Exposed to the primary antibody, the antibody binds only to a specific protein it
recognizes
3. Exposed to secondary antibody, the antibody binds only to the primary antibody. The
secondary antibody is coupled to a fluorochrome marker; thus location of protein in
cells/tissues are fluorescently labeled and may be viewed w/ a fluorescence microscope
Are the cells alive or dead for Indirect Immuno-fluorescence microscopy. - ✔✔Dead
What is GFP and how is it coupled to the proteins in different cellular structures? -
✔✔Green Fluorescent Protein; it is inserted into the protein
Katelyn Whitman, All Rights Reserved © 2025 3
