His·tol·o·gy (noun) /hiˈstäləjē/
The study of the microscopic structure of tissues.
Today was a short day - but no time is ever wasted in the lab! Krista spent some time recording with the bird we gave a skull cap last week during surgery, and she got me started with doing some histology - or in more scientifically romantic terms - brain slicing!
Since today was my first day working with histology, Krista gave me some brains she'd saved but won't be using in the future for testing or anything - the perfect first-try specimen! Of course, as with every scientific procedure, there were many steps I quickly learned for the process of setting up the materials.
The first step, of course, is slicing, so we have to make sure we have all the correct materials in order to start. Krista set out a petri dish, a scalpel, a multiple-welled dish, paint brush, some sucrose solution, phosphate buffer, and of course, the brains! Basically the first step is to freeze the brain to the holding plate, using sucrose (sugar) and dry ice. From there, the plate moves 100 micrometers by itself every time you retract the blade of the slicer.
It takes a few tries to get a solid slice - one without any tears, or bits of brain missing - but when you do, the brain unfolds beautifully once you drop it in a well of PBS (phosphate buffer solution). Krista told me, and I totally agree, that everyone has a unique technique for slicing that works for them - and man, if anyone ever questioned whether science and art were related, they must have never done histology... or sliced brains... or dissected animals parts.... I dunno, I guess for me the most simple definition of art is whatever makes you feel something. Whether it's melancholic, or passionate, or blissful; whatever that thing is that makes you feel that way - do it. That's your art. I guess for me it's science; and doing all the work at the lab has made me realize that. I mean, sure I've always loved to learn, and I love doing the work at school because it makes me proud, but it's things like listening to great music, or dancing, or dissecting hearts or brains or just organs in general, or even learning the answers to endless questions, that's my art... and it helps to see a little bit that brain slicing involves the use of a paintbrush.
The study of the microscopic structure of tissues.
Today was a short day - but no time is ever wasted in the lab! Krista spent some time recording with the bird we gave a skull cap last week during surgery, and she got me started with doing some histology - or in more scientifically romantic terms - brain slicing!
Since today was my first day working with histology, Krista gave me some brains she'd saved but won't be using in the future for testing or anything - the perfect first-try specimen! Of course, as with every scientific procedure, there were many steps I quickly learned for the process of setting up the materials.
The first step, of course, is slicing, so we have to make sure we have all the correct materials in order to start. Krista set out a petri dish, a scalpel, a multiple-welled dish, paint brush, some sucrose solution, phosphate buffer, and of course, the brains! Basically the first step is to freeze the brain to the holding plate, using sucrose (sugar) and dry ice. From there, the plate moves 100 micrometers by itself every time you retract the blade of the slicer.
It takes a few tries to get a solid slice - one without any tears, or bits of brain missing - but when you do, the brain unfolds beautifully once you drop it in a well of PBS (phosphate buffer solution). Krista told me, and I totally agree, that everyone has a unique technique for slicing that works for them - and man, if anyone ever questioned whether science and art were related, they must have never done histology... or sliced brains... or dissected animals parts.... I dunno, I guess for me the most simple definition of art is whatever makes you feel something. Whether it's melancholic, or passionate, or blissful; whatever that thing is that makes you feel that way - do it. That's your art. I guess for me it's science; and doing all the work at the lab has made me realize that. I mean, sure I've always loved to learn, and I love doing the work at school because it makes me proud, but it's things like listening to great music, or dancing, or dissecting hearts or brains or just organs in general, or even learning the answers to endless questions, that's my art... and it helps to see a little bit that brain slicing involves the use of a paintbrush.
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