Ultramicrotome

Ultramicrotome (pronounced: ultra-micro-tome) is a specialized instrument used in the field of Histology and Electron Microscopy for obtaining extremely thin sections of biological specimens for detailed microscopic examination.

Etymology

The term 'Ultramicrotome' is derived from three Greek words: 'ultra' meaning beyond, 'micro' meaning small, and 'tome' meaning cutting. Thus, it refers to a device that cuts beyond the small, indicating its ability to produce extremely thin sections.

Function

An Ultramicrotome uses a diamond or glass knife to cut thin sections of embedded biological specimens. These sections are typically around 60 to 100 nanometers thick and are used primarily for transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Types

There are two main types of Ultramicrotomes: the rotary ultramicrotome and the sliding ultramicrotome. The Rotary Ultramicrotome uses a rotating action to cut the specimen, while the Sliding Ultramicrotome uses a sliding action.

Related Terms

Histology: The study of the microscopic structure of tissues.
Electron Microscopy: A type of microscopy that uses a beam of electrons to create an image of the specimen.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM): A microscopy technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a specimen to form an image.
Rotary Ultramicrotome: A type of ultramicrotome that uses a rotating action to cut the specimen.
Sliding Ultramicrotome: A type of ultramicrotome that uses a sliding action to cut the specimen.