Each slide is shown with additional information to its right. The image can be changed using any combination of the following commands.
Sidebar
Click on links to move to a specific region.
Click on images to show that view.
Use the toolbar to change the magnification and pan the displayed image.
Mouse
Click to zoom-in
Double-click to zoom-out
Alt-click to zoom-out
Alt-double-click to zoom-out to the entire slide
Drag the image to pan
Keyboard
Shift or ‘A’ key to zoom-in
Ctrl or ‘Z’ Key to zoom-out
Arrow Keys to pan across the image
ESC key to zoom-out to the entire slide
Touch
Tap to zoom-in
Double-tap to zoom-out
Alt-tap to zoom-out to the entire slide
Drag the image to pan
SHARE
A link to a virtual slide can be saved for later viewing in different ways.
Clipboard
The address of this view has been copied to your clipboard. This link can be pasted in any other program.
Bookmark
A bookmark link can be created using the bookmark function (Ctrl-D for Windows or Cmd-D for Mac) of your browser. Choose a name for the bookmark and select the folder in which you want it saved.
Toluidine blue is a basic dye that binds nucleic acids, but preferentially stains RNA. When it stains structures blue, it is called orthochromatic.
Cerebellum
At the interface between the two layers of the cerebellum, a layer of large cells known as Purkinje cells can be found. At high magnification, examine individual
Purkinje cells sectioned through their nuclei and dendrites.
The nucleolus is intensely stained (i.e., chromophilic) because it contains negatively charged RNA involved in ribosome assembly.
Nissl (or chromophil) substance in the cytoplasm contains negatively charged RNA found in free ribosomes and ribosomes bound to endoplasmic reticulum (i.e., RER).
The presence of chromophil substance suggests these cells synthesize large amounts of protein.
Liver
The liver is composed primarily of hepatocytes. Examine the staining of individual hepatocytes at high magnification.
The cytoplasm of hepatocytes contains the most intense staining (i.e., chromophilic) around the periphery of the nucleus.
Most hepatocytes contain a single nucleolus, but careful examination shows many cells have multiple nuclei.
Pancreas
Most of the pancreas is composed of acinar cells. Acinar cells are polarized
cells clustered around a central lumen which is the entrance to a duct (i.e., an acinus).
The apical cytoplasm near the lumen contains unstained secretion granules. They are released from the apical surface into the central lumen.
The basal portion of the cell contains the nucleus with a prominent nucleolus, cytoplasm with abundant chromophil substance, and is free of secretion granules.
The intense staining in the cytoplasm contains negatively charged RNA found in free ribosomes and ribosomes bound to endoplasmic reticulum (i.e., RER).
The presence of chromophil substance suggests these cells synthesize large amounts of protein.
Lymph Node
Lymph nodes contain many lymphocytes. Note the scattered larger cells with
more chromophilic cytoplasm, these are macrophages.
Lymphocyte nuclei are almost completely heterochromatin with small nucleoli.
The light staining of the cytoplasm in lymphocytes suggests these cells are not actively synthesizing much protein.
Mast Cells
Toluidine blue is often used to identify mast cells by virtue of heparin (which is very polyanionic) in their secretion granules. In the connective tissue surrounding the lymph node, several mast cells can be found.
The secretion granules of the mast cells are stained a dark purple.
This is an example of metachromisia which occurs when the color of a dye shifts with staining (in this case, from blue to dark purple).
