Photomicrography and Video of Protozoa, Volvox and Rotifers

by Dr. Robert Berdan

April 1, 2018

Paramecium seem to gather in light - photomicrograph by Robert Berdan ©

Paramecium gather in the circle of light which I produced by closing the iris diaphragm on the base of the microscope lamp. Darkfield microscopy 100X.

In the past year I have been setting up my home laboratory and getting my microscopes and macro-photography equipment set up to photograph specimens magnified from 1-1000X . I have owned an Olympus microscope for many years but I always wanted to own a microscope with Differential interference contrast (DIC) also called Nomarski Interference. A few months ago I purchased a Zeiss Axioscope microscope with DIC optics and I am thrilled. This type of optics provides microorganisms with a 3D-like appearance and it can colourize the specimens and background when used with a full wave plate. DIC microscopes are expensive, but provide some of best views of live cells and microscopic pond organisms.

In this article I show some of my recent photos of protozoa and rotifers with DIC microscopy. I couldn't wait for the ice to melt from the ponds in Calgary so I ordered some of these organisms from Boreal science. Boreal is a science supply company that sells invertebrates for teaching purposes. A test tube of single cell animals and plants costs $12.00 and is suitable for a classroom of about 30 students. Of course all these animals are available for free in ponds, ditches, roof gutters, bird baths and slow moving streams during warmer weather.

Rotifer by DIC contrast by Robert Berdan ©

Rotifers are small multicellular organisms living in pond water that feed on other protozoa, bacteria and algae. This one is shown at about 400X using DIC microscopy and surrounded by 3 smaller euglena - flagellated protozoa. In the middle of the rotifer is a pair of jaws called trophi that move continuously to crush injested food. The trophi are important taxonimically. Rotifers are one of the most common animals found in pond water.

My goal is to show some of the complexity and beauty of a few microorganisms and hopefully bring them to the attention of a wider audience. When I was young I watched these organisms using a $30 Sears microscope and it inspired me to pursue a career in cell biology and later to become a professional nature photographer. A single cell protozoan can move, hunt for food, reproduce asexually and sometimes find a sexual partner. Many of them can form cysts and go into suspended animation (anhydrobiosis) for months or years when their pond dries up. In short, they are some of the most perfectly adapted animals on the planet.

We have much to learn from Protozoa and Rotifers. They are all around us and a visit to any outdoor source of water even rain water from roof gutters will have hundreds if not thousands of different species. Along with bacteria, they form the base of the food chain and break down animal and plant matter. We could not live without them. They are also some of the most fascinating and unusual animals I have ever encountered, some do not age (Hydra), others can exhibit incredible regenerative abilities and even exhibit simple forms of learning and yet protozoa are just single cells without a brain. They fascinate me and I hope you might want to see them for yourself - of course you will need a microscope but they are all around us. Used microscopes or even new microscopes can be purchased for a few hundred dollars on Kijjii, ebay, government surplus and various online microscope stores.

Paramecium caudatum

There are at least 10 species of paramecium. These one celled ciliates live in fresh water and are common. They can be cultivated and induced to conjugate (exchange genetic material). Research studies show that paramecium can divide about 200 times before showing signs of aging, however after conjugation they are renewed and young again. Research on paramecium suggests that aging is due to DNA damage over time and not due to changes occurring in the cytoplasm.

Paramecium caudatum viewed by Differential Interference mIcroscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Paramecium caudatum viewed by Differential Interference microscopy (DIC) with a waveplate at about 600X

Paramecium vary in size from 50-300 microns (one micron = 1\1000 of a millimetre) and there are many similar ciliates you will encounter when collecting samples from pond water. The name paramecium means "oblong" shaped. They swim using cilia (fine hairs) which covers almost their entire body. When they hit something they back up, turn and then move forward again, the so called "avoidance reaction". To get sharp pictures I had to wait until the water under the coverslip of my microscope slide evaporated and pressed down on the animals holding them still. Paramecium feed on bacteria, algae, and yeast in the water.

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Diagram of Paramecium courtesy of Wikipedia. Try to identify some of these components in the pictures below.

When I was second year biology student at the University of Western Ontario, I was fortunate to meet Dr. Tracy Sonneborn, one of the leading researchers in Paramecium biology. I asked him for permission to attend one of his laboratory sessions reserved for graduate students and he agreed. In the laboratory he showed us various mutants he had produced and his enthusiasm was infectious. These are my first photographs of paramecium using a DIC microscope. I also have a photograph below with Phase contrast which shows quite a bit, but not as much as DIC.

DIC microscopy of a single paramecium by Robert Berdan ©

DIC microscopy of a single paramecium, showing some birefringent material inside the cell. On the lower right of the photograph are some bacteria. 400X.

Paramecium caudatum viewed by Phase contrast microscopy - about 400X by Robert Berdan ©

Paramecium caudatum viewed by Phase contrast microscopy - about 400X. The contractile vacuole is easy to spot on the left and functions to expel water and maintain osmotic pressure in the animal. Each animal has 5.000 to 6,000 cilia, about 0.25 microns in width and about 5-6 microns in length. Paramecium can travel up to 1000 microns per second (1 mm/sec).

Paraemcium by DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

In DIC microscopy I can vary the colour of the background and change the colours of the specimen to view the internal components of the Paramecium and it possible to clearly see the cilia which propel paramecium. 400X.

Paramecium by DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Using DIC and a full-wave plate I photographed this paramecium using an orange coloured background. 400X

Paramecium gathering in the light region of the microscope slide as shown above. 200X

Paramecium via Darkfield microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Paramecium via Darkfield microscopy. 200X

Paramecium trichocysts by DIC microscopy Robert Berdan ©

When paramecium are injured, come into contact with noxious chemicals, or are preyed upon they may release trichocysts - short needle like structures shown on the left side of the photograph. The function of trichocysts is uncertain but they may play a role in defence though they are not always effective.

My photographs show static images of the paramecium, but when viewed live or in a video below they can be seen to move quickly, forward, backward and often rotate and spiral as they swim.

Amoeba proteus

Amoebas are single celled protozoa that move by flowing protoplasm that form pseudopods (false feet). There are many kinds of amoeboid cells some belong to slime molds, algae and other organisms. Some of our own white blood cells e.g. macrophages resemble amoebas. The appearance and structure of the pseudopods are used to distinguish different groups. Some freshwater species also live inside hard shells (Arcella) and a few species can cause disease e.g. Naegleria flowleri found in warm bodies of water, soil, and unchlorinated swimming pools - this species can cause a brain disease which is often fatal, though infections are rare.

Freshwater amoebas have a contractile vacuole which expels water from the cell and regulates osmotic pressure. Amoeba move by extending their pseudopods and protoplasmic flow. They eat bacteria, diatoms, detritus, and other smaller protists. The ingest food by phagocytosis, extending pseudopods to surround and engulf their prey. They don't have a fixed mouth.

Some Amoeba have a single nucleus and others multiple nuclei. They are found at the bottom of ponds, they are also common in my gutters. I sometimes use a centrifuge to concentrate them from water I collect from my roof gutters. They also vary in size from about 20 microns to over 500 microns. When I place water samples on the microscope slides I usually wait a few minutes for the Amoeba to attach to the glass and start moving.

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Diagram of a single celled Amoeba that lives in pond water. Diagram courtesy of Wikipedia.

Ameoba 400X as viewed in by Differential Interference Microscopy Robert Berdan ©

Amoeba 400X as viewed by Differential Interference Microscopy (DIC) microsopy. Refer to the diagram to see what components of this cell you can identify. This was a smaller amoeba I found in the culture from Boreal science.

Amoeba proteus via DIC microscopy about 100X Robert Berdan ©

Amoeba proteus via DIC microscopy about 100X.

Amoeba by phase contrast microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Wild Amoeba collected during the summer in a Calgary pond. Phase contrast microscopy about 150X Olympus microscope. The nucleus is easily seen as well as many small pseudopodia.

Stentor coeruleus

The name Stentor is in reference to its trumpet shape and the herald of Greek mythology known for having a loud voice. The species name "coeruleus" describes the blue-green pigmented stripes (see picture below). They grow up to 3 mm in size and are one of the largest single celled organisms. It has amazing regenerative capacity and this single cell has the ability to learn. Fragments of a single cell can regenerate into an entire new organism so long as the fragments contains part of the ribbon shaped macronucleus and portion of the membrane/cortex. Stentors are common in fresh water ponds and swim using cilia that cover its body surface and they also can change shape from a long trumpet into a sphere.

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Diagram courtesy Research Gate. All of the features shown are on the cell surface, except for the macronuclear nodes, the micronuclei, and the contractile vacuole, all three of which are located just beneath the surface. The cortical fibrillar system, not shown in the diagram, is located within the clear stripes between the granular (pigmented) stripes.

The cilia in the oral region create a vortex sweeping in food, mostly bacteria and other smaller ciliates and algae. Some animals have algae living inside that form a symbiotic relationship. It's not understood why they algae "Chlorella" are not digested. Stentor is able to exhibit a simple form of learning called "habituation" where the animal learns to ignore a mechanical stimulus and retains this "shot term memory" for several hours.

The genome of Stentor has recently been sequenced and scientists hope to learn more about how this animal is able to regenerate (stentor.ciliate.org). The large macronucleus is polyploid, which means it has many duplicated copies of genes. Many different types of single cells that are very large and able to regenerate are polyploid. So far 12 species of Stentor have been described.

Stentor coeruleus seaching for food DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Stentor coeruleus searching for food. You can see part of the macronucleus, and some cilia around its anterior end. 100X.

Stentor coeruleus by Robert Berdan ©

Stentor coeruleus, the anterior end is at the top left and the foot is at the lower right. The organism can form a ball or stretch into a long trumpet shape. They feed on bacteria, algae and other smaller protozoans. Differential interference microscopy (DIC) about 100X.

DIC microscopy of Stentor by Robert Berdan ©

DIC microscopy of Stentor about 50X DIC microscopy.

Rheinberg and DIC lighting of Stentor by Robert Berdan ©

Rheinberg and DIC lighting of Stentor which has contracted into a spherical shape 100X

Surface of Stentor showing the patterns on the cortex by Robert Berdan ©

Surface of Stentor showing the pattern on the cortex. The clear stripes represent bundles of microtubules known as Km fibers, whereas the blue-green stripes contain dense fields of pigment granules.

Stentor with symbiotic Chlorella inside by Robert Berdan ©

Stentor from the wild I photographed using Phase contrast microscopy with my Olympus microscope in the summer of 2017. This Stentor has numerous intracellular symbiotic algae - Chlorella. 400X Phase Contrast Microscopy.

Euglena gracilis

Euglena have both animal and plant properties. They contain chlorophyll and can make their own food, but in the dark they can survive by feeding on bacteria. They swim about using a long flagellum and some have a red eye-spot that is photosensitive and they move toward the light (phototaxis). In fact all euglena have 2 flagella, but in some species the 2nd flagellum is very short and does not protrude from the cell. There are 54 genera and about 800 species. Sexuality seems to be absent in this animal as they reproduce asexually. The have an outer pellicle which has a helical screw symmetry.

Euglena can also take up food directly from the water by osmosis. They are widely used in research as they are easy to culture. In 2005 a Toyko based Euglena company started making food and beverage products from this organism and are also investigating its potential use in the formation of biofuels.

They can have 6-12 choloroplasts, a red eye spot which confers the ability to move toward light. The word Euglena means "eyeball organism" in Greek. They have 45 chromosomes and in 1994 DNA analysis indicates they have a number of unclassified genes that make new forms of carbohydrates. They are often found in ponds and ditches containing rotting leaves. Like many other protists they can form cysts in low moisture or when food is scarce.

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Diagram of Euglena - a protozoan that can move yet it also has chloroplasts to produce its own food from light. It can feed on bacteria if cultured in the dark - it posses both animal and plant properties.

Euglena DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Two Euglena at the top showing a single flagellum it uses to move. The larger object is a part of a rotifer. 400X DIC

Euglena gracilis about 600X DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Euglena about 600X DIC microscopy.

Phacus photographed by DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Phacus sp belongs to the phylum Euglenozoa, characterized by its flat, leaf-shaped structure, and rigid cytoskeleton known as a pellicle. There are currently 564 species of Phacus. DIC microscopy - photostack.

Vorticella

Voticella are bell-shaped ciliates that form stalks. The stalks have contractile myonemes that form after a free-swimming stage. The stalks can contract quickly into a coil to avoid predators. The name Vorticella is derived from beating cilia at the top of the bell that forms vortices that draws bacteria into their "mouth". They were first described by Anton van Leeuwenhoek in 1676. Most Vorticella are found in fresh water attached to plants, debris and even other animals e.g. copepods. Rotifers have been known to feed on Vorticella. They may also contain symbiotic algae "Chlorella". They have a large curved C-shaped macronucleus and smaller round micronucleus nearby. They also have contractile vacuoles which expel water that move into all freshwater protozoa. They divide by binary fission. There are about 200 species of Vorticella.

Vorticella have been discovered to inhibit the development and emergence of mosquito larvae and they are being explored as a method of biocontrol for mosquitoes which can spread disease.

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Diagram of Vorticella in the expanded and contracted state: Image source: https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Vorticella

Vorticella as viewed by Darkfield microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Vorticella as viewed by Darkfield microscopy. The ciliary hairs at the top are moving so quickly they are blurred in this photograph. 250X.

Vorticella showing the long stalk 200X DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Vorticella showing the long stalk. There is an outer tube and an inner filament (myoneme) which can contract quickly. 200X DIC microscopy.

Some Vorticella lose their stalk, DIC microscopy Robert Berdan ©

Some Vorticella can lose their stalk and swim about. 400X DIC microscopy.

Vorticella at high magnification (600X) with DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Vorticella at high magnification (600X) with DIC microscopy. The large backward C shape is the macronucleus, ciliary hairs can be seen at the top. The Vorticella is anchored by long stalk that can contract quickly.

Volvox aureus

Volvox forms spherical colonies containing up to 50,000 cells and form a hollow ball. It's made up of individual flagellated somatic cells and smaller number of germ cells. There are 23 different species. Because the cells contain chlorophyll it's classified as a form of algae. The cells can swim in a coordinated fashion, and they each have a red eye-spot that is sensitive to light and the colony will move towards light. Volvox can reproduce sexually and asexually. Heat stress can induce them to reproduce sexually. The cells are for some time, interconnected by cytoplasmic bridges that form a syncytium.

Volvox is found in freshwater ponds, ditches and shallow puddles that receive an abundance of rainwater. In some you can see smaller ball of cells inside which are the daughter colonies. These daughter colonies are inside out at first with the flagella facing inside, they need to invert before being released. The inversion process takes about 40 minutes and they eventually break through the adults outer shell.

It's believed the single cells transitioned to form colonies at least 200 million years ago.

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Diagram from Wikipedia by Sundance Raphael. Volvox colony: 1) Chlamydomonas-like cell, 2) Daughter colony, 3) Cytoplasmic bridges, 4) Intercellular gel, 5) Reproductive cell, 6) Somatic cell.

A Volvox colony, DIC microscopy about 300X by Robert Berdan ©

A Volvox colony, DIC microscopy about 300X. The individual cells can be clearly seen. Focus stack.

With darkfield miscopy this Volvox looks like the sun in outer space by Robert Berdan ©

With darkfield microscopy this Volvox looks like the sun in outer space. The purple circles are out of focus ciliates. 200X.

Using DIC and darkfield microscopy, The Volvox colony resembles the sun while the paramecium resembles a spaceship Robert Berdan ©

Using DIC and darkfield microscopy, The Volvox colony resembles the sun while the paramecium resembles a spaceship (DM). 250X.

Rotifers

There are about 2000 species of rotifers, most live in freshwater. They range in size from 40-200 microns (micron = 1\1000 of a millimetre). Most are predatory or suspension feeders. Rotifers have two conspicuous features 1) specialized ciliated region on the anterior end called a corona. Usually they have two concentric rings of cilia that move quickly hence they were once called "wheel animalcules". The cilia are used for locomotion and to collect food. A few species lack this corona. 2) All rotifers possess a muscular pharynx, termed a mastax that includes a set of jaws called trophi. The trophi or jaws are easy to spot in many of my photographs below and they move in a chewing fashion.

A few species of rotifer (about 100) occur in saline waters and also some inhabit the film of water covering mosses, lichens and liverworts. They will occupy any container that holds water including rain gutters and bird baths. Most rotifers are solitary, but about 25 species form colonies. In some species there are no males. Most rotifers reproduce parthenogenically, in other words the females have eggs that form more females. Males do appear briefly in some species to fertilize eggs. The males are usually smaller and may look very different.

Rotifers posses a perivascular cavity or pseudocoleum. They have no respiratory or circulatory system. Some of their cells are syncitial i.e. multinucleate and all animals exhibit eutely - they have a constant number of cells (900-1000). Other structures that may be present are cirri, sensory antenna and palps. They possess a simple brain and may have eye spots which act as photoreceptors.

The majority of rotifers shown in my pictures below belong to the class of Bdelloids consisting of about 450 species world wide. Males are assumed not to exist in this group. Identification of Bdelloid species can be difficult as it requires examination of minute details at high magnification. Many rotifers also have the ability to form cysts which can withstand dessication, and extreme temperatures. They feed on bacteria, ciliates, vorticella and other small protozoa and some will also feed on other rotifers. They move by a combination of stretching and crawling like an inch worm and they can zoom about using their corona cilia like a propeller. They are fascinating to watch and can be found in all types of fresh water in concentrations up to 1000 animals per litre and some sewage ponds up to 12000\L.

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General diagram of a Bdelloid Rotifer - diagram source.

Pair of swimming Bdelloid rotifers by Robert Berdan ©

Pair of swimming Bdelloid rotifers with their coronas extended and their "wheels" of cilia used to propel them in the water. 200X DIC microscopy.

Single rotifer showing some of the internal organs, and jaws near the center. 400X DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Single rotifer showing some of the internal organs, and jaws (trophi) near the center. 400X DIC microscopy.

Rotifers, like wolves head out in search of prey by Robert Berdan ©

A pack of Rotifers, like wolves head out in search of prey like the smaller ciliate on the right. 200X DIC.

Single rotifer surrounded by 3 smaller euglena by Robert Berdan ©

Single rotifer surrounded by 3 smaller euglena. The rotifer has contracted its body. DIC 200X.

Single rotifer stretched out, DIC microscopy 200X by Robert Berdan ©

Single rotifer stretched out, DIC microscopy 200X

Couple of rotifers, with clearly visible jaws. DIC microscopy 200X by Robert Berdan ©

Couple of rotifers, with clearly visible trophi - jaws. DIC microscopy 200X

Rotifer with 2 pronged tail by Robert Berdan ©

Contracted Rotifer showing 2 pronged tail, note the Mastax inside.

Rotifer cyst DIC microscopy 400X by Robert Berdan ©

Rotifer cyst DIC microscopy 400X. You can see part of the Mastax jaws inside.

Rotifer cyst DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Rotifer cyst (larger object) and on the right is a smaller Euglena 400X DIC microscopy

Extended Bdelloid rotifer using DIC and Rheinberge lighting by Robert Berdan ©

Extended Bdelloid rotifer showing dorsal antenna that sticks out of the top and can be retracted and it appears to be sensory in function, it may be a mechanoreceptor or chemical sensor. 200X DIC combined with Rheinberg lighting

Rotifer by Darkfield microscopy appears transparent, 200X

Scanning electron micro-graphs of Bdelloid rotifers, and their jaws by By Diego Fontaneto - Who Needs Sex (or Males) Anyway? Gross, L. PLoS Biology Vol. 5, No. 4, e99 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050099, Learn more about Rotifers at Wikipedia.

Photomicrography Techniques I used

1. Focus stacking - the process involves taking several photos by varying the focus in about 1-2 micron increments. The animal most be holding still for this to work. I took between 2-10 photos and then stacked them in Photoshop or Helicon focus as I describe in an earlier article.

2. To slow animals down I let the water under the coverslip evaporate and or use a paper towel on the edge of the coverslip to draw water out thus pinning some of the larger organisms down so they can't move and so I can perform focus stacking. Most protozoa and rotifers move very quickly only amoeba seem to move more slowly. Other methods to slow the organisms down include adding methyl cellulose to the water, bubbling carbon dioxide through the water (use a straw and just blow for a few minutes) or adding a small concentration of alcohol.

3. Phase contrast, DIC, Darkfield, Rheinberg lighting, Polarizing microscopy are all methods used to view protozoa and rotifers and their intracellular organelles. In bright field microscopy most of these organisms appear transparent. You can stain the animals, but this often kills them and may obscure their internal components.

4. I edit, optimize my images and clean the backgrounds using Adobe Photoshop. Many of the slides contain debris, dirt, air bubbles that I remove digitally, but I do not alter the biological integrity of the animals.

5. Cameras used were the Nikon D500 and D800 attached to a Zeiss Axioscope Microscope with 10, 20, 40 and 63X Plan Achromat Infinity objectives. Camera settings included ISO 200-400, using live view and Digicam software (free to download) to save images and movies onto my Laptop.

6. Microscope camera adaptors are available starting at $20 to about $100 from AMScope. Other companies offer adaptors, but usually charge more. The biggest challenge is to elliminate vibration from the camera shutter, I use LView and\or mirror lockup. Some photographers use Afocal method with their cameras to reduce vibration.

7. An eyepiece reticule and micrometre slide with a small scale can be used measure an organisms size, and then determine the exact magnification. In this article I only provide approximate magnifications - view this PDF or watch some YouTube videos on how to measure objects using a microscope if interested.

8. You don't need an expensive microscope to view or photograph Pond life. A decent used microscope can be purchased for about $100 to $300 . Phase contrast will cost a few hundred dollars more. Darkfield, Rheinberg lighting can be added for a few dollars or the filters can be homemade. Unfortunately there are no cheap Interference microscopes. Microscope objectives also come in a variety of qualities from lowest to highest: Achromat, Plan Achromats, Semi-Apochromats and Apochromats which are the highest quality and also the most expensive. To learn more about microscope objectives search the Net or start here and try this link.

All of the animals shown in this article can be collected in local ponds, streams, lakes etc. If you are willing to break through the ice on a frozen pond they can be found in winter though they are not as numerous. You will need a microscope capable of 100-400X magnification to see them. You may be able to use a microscope from school or you can buy a used one for about $100-$300 by searching Kijjii, Ebay and government surplus. If purchasing a microscope I recommend you seek out someone that is experienced and can guide you in your purchase.

Video showing Protozoa and Rotifers

Watch Protozoa and Rotifers on Youtube (same video) - https://youtu.be/PtIJzX96lzs - includes sound

Note there is a significant loss of sharpness on the Youtube Video due to compression they perform.

Zeiss Axioscope, Nikon D800 and laptop computer which was used to take pictures for this article.

References:

Paramecium (1985) ed H. D. Gortz Springer Verlag, NY

The Biology of Stentor (1961) Vance Tartar, Pergamon Press, NY

Freshwater Invertebrates - Ecology and General Biology (2010) eds J.H. Thorp and D.C.Rogers, Academic Press,NY.

Freshwater Algae of North America (2015) J.D. Wehr et. al. eds , Academic Press. NY, 2nd edition.

Euglenoid Flagellates (1967) Gordon F. Leedale, Prentice Hall, NY

Plankton Rotifers Biology and Taxonomy (1974) A. Ruttner-Kolisko, Stuttgart, Germany

A. Örstan and M. Plewka (2017) An Introduction to Bdelloid Rotifers. Research Gate and available at www.quett.org

D. Fontaneto and WH. De Smet (2015) Chapter 4 Rotifera - research gate download PDF - comprehensive review

Microscopy from the very beginning - free book produced by Zeiss PDF

The Path of Photomicrography towards artistic recognition - download Essay as PDF

Websites:

Zeiss online microscopy

Boreal Science\Ward Science - source of the pond organisms

Quality Microscopes in Calgary - Zeiss dealer sells stereomicroscopes but may also have some light microscopes

Macrophotography.net - Forum on macro and photomicrography where you can ask for advice and learn.

UK Microscopy - great resource for anyone interested in microscopy & photomicrography

Rheinberg Filters and simulate DIC using Oblique lighting - this article has numerous useful references

Robert Berdan and Zeiss Axioscope Microscope - self portrait with Zeiss Axioscope Microscope DIC optics.

My Zeiss Axioscope microscope with DIC optics, and Nikon D800 camera - Geek's paradise.

Note to teachers you have permission to use my pictures for teaching, I appreciate credit and\or link back to my web site if possible. For commercial use of my photos please contact me. The diagrams are freely available from Wikipedia or other web sites indicated for non-commercial purposes though you may be required to provide proper attribution to the author or source - please contact them directly if you would like to use the diagrams.

I provide training for anyone interested on how to use a microscope and\or how to take photomicrographs in my Calgary studio - if interested please contact me.

Authors Biography & Contact Information

Portrait of Robert BerdanRobert Berdan is a professional nature photographer living in Calgary, AB specializing in nature, wildlife and science photography. Robert offers photo guiding and private instruction in all aspects of nature photography and Adobe Photoshop training. Robert is also an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Calgary in the Department of Cell Biology and a member of the Univ. of Calgary Microscopy Interest Group.

Home Microscopy Laboratory for Photomicrography

by Dr. Robert Berdan

February 3, 2018

hoime microscopy laboratory by Robert Berdan ©

My darkroom converted into a microscopy laboratory for taking photomicrographs.

For the past 12 months I have been planning and building a microscopy lab in my home. It's about the geekiest thing a person can do I suppose and I am proud of it. Originally the small space I converted into a lab was a wine storage room and with the help of my father some years ago I refurbished it with counters and cabinets for use as a darkroom. My dream of having my own darkroom was short lived when in 2000 Epson produced the first archival ink-jet printers. With regret I sold my darkroom enlarger and accessories. From there on I processed my digital images on the computer using Photoshop and made prints with an Epson ink-jet printer. While I enjoyed working in a darkroom my skin had become sensitive to the chemicals and it took a long time to produce a few high quality prints. I was sad that 20 years of darkroom knowledge would no longer be of much value. Today most of my printing is done by photography outlets (e.g. London Drugs, Vistek) as they do a good job for less cost then printing myself. I still print some of my own exhibition prints, but if I don't use my Epson printers regularly the ink dries up and is unusable, and ink for Epson printers is expensive. The bottom line is my home darkroom has now been converted into a home microscopy laboratory (shown above) and I have just added a new Zeiss Axioscope Microscope with DIC optics - another dream come true for me. (DIC - Differential Interference Contrast also called Nomarksi after Georges Nomarski a Polish physicist who in 1952 developed this microscopy technique for Zeiss - Download PDF).

Pediculus capitis brightfield microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

My Zeiss Axioscope microscope has two low power (2.5X and 5.0X) objectives which allows me to photograph entire arthropods. Above is Pediculus capitis - head louse viewed in bright field microscopy. 25X

Cross section of leaft by Bright field microscopy Robert Berdan ©

Cross section of a leaf at low magnification. I produced this image by stitching several images together. 100X bright field microscopy.

When I was 10 years old my passion for biology and photography was ignited by a toy microscope - a Sears $29.99 model shown below. It wasn't long after receiving this toy microscope that I wished I had a way to photograph what I saw and share it with others. My first attempts started after I received a better microscope and purchased a Polaroid ED 10 - camera (see below).

Sears toy microscope by Robert Berdan

My first microscope was from Sears and cost $30. It came with a carrying case, some slides, dissection instruments and offered 900X. I found this one recently on E-bay selling for $30 as a "Vintage" microscope - it now sits on my shelf as a reminder of where my passion for microscopy began.

When I think of what the early scientists had to use for microscopes in the 1600's and 1700's; for example Robert Hooke and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek this toy microscope doesn't seem so bad. However, I would not recommend it for anyone over 10 years of age, you would be better off buying a used research scope or one made in China or India for the young scientist. Nevertheless this toy microscope changed my life and lead me to a career in cell biology and neuroscience research.

I love working with microscopes and cameras. They bring my attention to living things that most folks will never see. The microscope and camera are two important tools that in my life have increased my appreciation for other life forms and my own.

Polaroid ED-10 camera ad in Scientific American

Above is an advertisement for a Polaroid ED-10 camera for photomicrography that appeared in Scientific American. It was the first camera I purchased to take photomicrographs. The camera cost $70, had no lenses, just a shutter and an adaptor to fit on the microscope eyepiece. While it worked, the Polaroid print film was costly (for a teenager) and the prints were small. To share the pictures with others I had my prints copied into slides. Later on I received an Olympus OM-1 camera for Christmas and I began taking pictures using Kodak photomicrography film, Kodachrome, and Technical Pan black and white film that I developed myself. My father taught me how print in colour and I made 16 x 24 inch prints to hang on the wall. Most folks I showed the microscope images to didn't know or understand what they were looking at and showed little interest or appreciation for them, but I was not deterred. To my surprise I still sell some of the images of Diatoms I took over 40 years ago.

Above is an example of a student microscope and its basic parts. This microscope made in China costs about $300 new and about $100 used. It is a basic bright field microscope, but it can be easily fitted with polarizing filters, dark-field filters, Rheinberg Filters and would be good for most students to get started in microscopy. This scope is good for viewing prepared slides, histology slides and some microorganisms like yeast. Used microscopes like this are common on E-bay, Kijji and government surplus auctions. If you are lucky you may even find a used microscope with phase contrast for just a few hundred dollars.

When I graduated from Grade 8 I had saved about $150 and my parents contributed the rest in order to buy me an Olympus E microscope with a trinocular head for photography. I was fortunate that a close friend of our family, Herbert Thony, was a microscope salesman for Olympus and he sold me a microscope at cost and taught me how to setup phase contrast. Herb is now retired and over 90 years old. I visit Herbert when I go home to see my parents in Penetanguishene, Ontario. I dedicated my Master's Thesis to Herb as I am grateful for his help and also to my parents for helping me purchase the scope. Below is self portrait showing my first laboratory in our garage - I had this lab while I was in high school and through my undergraduate years at the University of Western.

Robert Berdan in his garage microscopy laboratory - 1978

My father built me a desk out of plywood, my Olympus E microscope is to my left and some of my photographs of mosquito larvae, potato starch grains, rotifers and copepods are hanging on the wall.

Donna Berdan in laboratory by Robert Berdan

Above, my wife Donna (accountant and musician - not a scientist) used to to visit me in my University of Alberta Labratory since I spent most of my time there. I am lucky she was tolerant of my obsessive behaviour which seems to be a requirement to be a research scientist. She is sitting in front of an Olympus Inverted microscope IMT-2 which I modified to have a stereomicroscope above it, and it had an attached 35 mm camera (Olympus OM-4) and video port for time lapse videography. This inverted microscope had both phase contrast and DIC optics so I could film living neurons growing in culture. I used special micro-manipulators to impale the brain cells in order to record their electrical activity as they formed electrical synapses during growth and regeneration. The entire room was electrically shielded. While research was fun, there was constant pressure to be working in the lab and to publish more and more papers in order to get more grant funding. My problem is that I am interested in many other things, art, music, the outdoors, kayaking, computer technology, nature photography and spending time with my family. These are some things that many researchers have to sacrifice - some are willing to and others like myself were not. I don't believe we get a second chance at life and if you really want to do something you need to make it a priority.

Plant leaf stoma via Polarized light microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Plant leaf stoma - 400X Polarized light microscopy - Nikon Optiphot microscope.

Cross section of Pine wood by DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Cross section of pine wood showing the tracheids where water is transported up the stem of pine tree. DIC microscopy 200X, The pattern appears abstract but it provides important information to tree biologists.

About 18 months ago my passion for photomicrography returned. I have been photographing nature and wildlife around Calgary for over 25 years. There are still a few animals I have not captured on camera, however, I seemed to be spending more time looking for subjects that I already have pictures of. I started to look through the microscope and was reminded of just how many different organisms live in a small pool of water. I began exploring different optical techniques like Rheinberg lighting, Polarized light, Wave plates, Quartz wedges, Darkfield, Hoffman modulation, fluorescence and newer techniques and was drawn back to my first passion. I refurbished several used microscopes, and concluded that this might be my last chance to buy a research quality microscope with DIC optics to take pictures.

On the Internet I have been reading about other new advances in microscopy: Light sheet microscopy, confocal microscopy, Stimulation Emission Depletion microscopy etc. and I was amazed to read that the resolution of the light microscope is no longer limited to 0.2 microns, but that by using lasers (STED Stimulated emmission depletion microscopy) it is now possible to detect single molecules and the researchers that developed this technique received the Noble prize in 2014. The use of software to simulate different microscopy techniques is farily new and I am trying to get a hold of software from a researcher in Australia that can simulate Phase contrast and DIC using an ordinary bright field microscope and stacking the images (Download PDF on Optical Phase Microscopy). I have also been experimenting with focus stacking to enhance depth of field using digital photography and various software programs. To me the history of microscopy and photography are also fascinating topics (e.g. Download Robert Hooke's Micrographia 1664 -PDF). Hooke was the first to describe cells in Cork with his microscope). Also see some early photomicrographs of Diatoms by Dr. Redmayne from 1877 on this web site.

Diatoms are single celled algae that form glass (silica) shells (frustules) that can be highly ornamented. These single cells plants are believed to produce about 20% of the earth's Oxygen and some of them can move on their own - blurring the line between plants and animals. They can be found in most bodies of water and soil and Diatomaceous earth deposits left by millions of years of these organisms is mined and used in a wide variety of products like toothpaste, silver polish, beer filters, insect repellants and nano-technology. 100X DIC microscopy, Focus stack of 4 images from a prepared slide.

Diatoms DIC microscopy focus stack by Robert Berdan ©

Diatoms DIC microscopy showing detail in the silica shells. Diatoms are also used to test the resolution of microscopes. 200X focus stack of 5 images.

When my son was born I decided to leave research. I was working 7 days a week 12-16 hour days and though I loved research I wanted a change. Success rates for grant funding by scientists at the time were less than 13%. At first I worked as manager of science education and exhibit development at the Calgary Science Center for 5 years as I needed a steady income for my family. I left in 1996 to start my own business "Science & Art Multimedia" where I combined my interests in Science, Technology, Art and Design. After 20 years my mortgage was paid off, and I have decided to focus on photography and microscopy. Fitness also is now a priority. My plan for the future is to show that Photomicrography can be considered an Art form as well as tool for discovery.

Cross section of a pine needle with DIC microscopy 100X by Robert Berdan ©

Cross section of a pine needle with DIC microscopy 100X

With a microscope you don't have to go further then your own backyard to find interesting creatures to photograph. Furthermore anyone can read about microorganisms online - research papers are readily available, and most scientists reply to emails and seem to be glad to share their research findings. Lab supplies, and microscope parts can be purchased for reasonable prices on Kijjii, and E-bay and Amazon sells almost everything. What an exciting time!

Cross section of a pine needle with DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Cross section through a pine needle with DIC microscopy, 100X The background colour can be changed using the DIC prisms and by using a full wave plate. The wave plate also works with a polarizing microscope.

Anyone can start taking pictures through a microscope with a simple camera adaptor that sells from $20-$100 and there are also a wide variety of phone adaptors to connect to your microscope. If you do plan to use a microscope to take pictures it helps to know some science and microscope fundamentals. If you plan to buy a microscope - I recommend you seek advice of an experienced microscopist (you can email me). Many of the older microscopes (10-40 years) if cared for are excellent for taking pictures. Also , you don't have to take pictures with your microscope, just start exploring the world around you. Children can get started with a simple magnifying lens to stimulate their curiosity about plants and animals. If you are new to microscopy I recommend you buy a used microscope under $500 at first and then if the microscope ignites your passion you can always sell your scope and buy a better model.

Cross section of a corn stem (Monocot) stitch of several images by Robert Berdan 20S DIC ©

Cross section of a corn stem (Monocot) - stitch of several images 20X DIC microscopy

Cross section of Monocot (corn) DIC microscoy by Robert Berdan ©

Part of a cross section of a plant (monocot - Corn) shown above viewed with DIC microscopy. 200X

Cross section of plant showing starch grains in polarized light microscopy by Robert Berdan ©

Cross section of plant tissue showing spherical objects - starch grains 200X DIC microscopy.

When I decided to purchase a research quality microscope with DIC ( Differential Interference Contrast also called Nomarski), I already had several microscopes, but DIC adds colour and 3 dimensional appearance to living specimens. Unfortunately even a used microscope with DIC can cost about $10,000. I pondered how I could afford a DIC microscope and still stay married? I figured out that if I sold some of my camera equipment and other belongings I might be able to raise enough money. So I put my telescope, alto saxophone, two kayaks, several lenses and other accessories for sale on Kijji. By November 2017 I had raised about 50% of the money I needed and decided to purchase a Zeiss Axioscope microscope with DIC and phase contrast optics. The Zeiss sales person was kind enough to find me a demo model and offered me a discount - thanks Lita! Now that I have a microscope with DIC - I haven't been this excited in years.

Citric acid crystals by DIC mic;roscopy Robert Berdan 200X ©

Citric acid crystals DIC microscopy 200X

Mineral section by DIC microscopy 200X Robert Berdan ©

Mineral section viewed with DIC microscopy 200X

When my new Zeiss microscope arrived in January it was a dream come true. I am planning to share my new photomicrographs in the coming months- this is the first article. I will be photographing freshwater invertebrates like water bears (Tardigrades), ciliates, rotifers, copepods, ostracods, coelentrates (hydra), crystals, pollen, plant sections and more. My hope is that my photographs might inspire some readers to try microscopy and photomicrography and gain a better appreciation of the microorganisms around us. If you are an arm chair scientist you can just check out the articles and pictures on my site and others. In the UK and Europe microscopy has a long history and as a hobby is far more progressive than in North America where microscopy is used mainly by research students and scientists - it doesn't have to be. Microscopy can be a gateway to new worlds without leaving your backyard - you will be transported to another dimension of the very small. For me microscopy is more then just capturing pretty pictures - I am also learning more about many of the Freshwater invertebrates and their importance in our ecosystem which we are all a part of.

Comparison of Phase contrast, DIC and Hoffman modulation to view cheek epithelial cells by Robert Berdan ©

Above are human cheek epithelial cells (mine) shown with different microscope techniques. A) Positive phase contrast 400X B) Negative Phase contrast 400X c) DIC - Nomarski 400X D) Hoffman modulation 1000X. Living cells are transparent so in order to view live cells you need to either stain the cells or use a microscope with special optical contrast techniques. If you only have a bright field microscope you can also use stain, e.g. methylene blue, or food colour etc to impart colour to the cells.

Onion cells via DIC microscopy by Robert Berdan 400X ©

Plant cells (onion) stained, nuclei are red and cell walls appear blue - using DIC microscopy 400X

Radiolaria - these one celled organisms live in the ocean and like Diatoms they form intricate silica shells. 400X focus stack 4 images DIC microscopy.

Zeiss Axioscope with Nikon D800 camera attached Robert Berdan ©

Above in the foreground is my new Zeiss Axioscope microscope with my Nikon D800 camera attached on top connected by a USB cord to my laptop. I am using free software to capture the images called Digicam control. My Zeiss microscope includes several objectives: 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 63 X. These objectives can be used with polarized light, phase contrast and DIC (differential interference contrast), Rheinberg filters etc. I am currently in the process of adding Phase contrast objectives - 10, 20, 40X to the Axioscope. In the background is a Nikon Optiphot microscope which I purchased from Kijji and I have been refurbishing for about year now. It's a 20 year old research microscope that uses polarized light and flourescence illumination but it doesn't have the DIC optics of my Axioscope.

Robert Berdan portrait by Sharif Galal ©

50 years later I am still a science geek. On the right is my first Olympus E research microscope I received in Grade 8 , and in the background are some pictures and graphics from my cell and neurobiology research. This photo was taken by my friend Dr. Sharif Galal. In the near future I hope to share more information and pictures of freshwater invertebrates and various microscope technologies. Microscopy is something anyone can enjoy and it might even encourage some younger folks to enter careers in science.

References and Links:

Zeiss microscopy Canada - online store

Microscopy from the very beginning - Ziess PDF

Quality Microscopes Ltd - specializes in stereo microscopes for Petrology and is located in my neighbourhood

Nikon Microscopy - professional research quality scopes

Olympus Microscopy - research quality scopes

Olympus microscopy resource center

Leica Microscopes - research and educational microscopes

McCrone Microscopy Group - Chicago, learning center, also has wide variety of articles on microscopy

The Quekett Microscopical Club England - lots of great articles on how to get started in photomicrography

Microscopy-UK Miscape Magazine - many articles on all aspects of microscopy for all levels

Brunnel Microscopes Ltd UK & International specialists - wide variety of hard to get accessories and scopes

The Royal Microscopical Society since 1839 - UK

Microscopy Today Online - Free online magazine about new trends in microscopy

Live Cell Imaging Microscope Resource Lab - University of Calgary - guest speakers, learning programs etc

Boreal Science - science teaching resources, you can purchase live protozoa, supplies etc .

The Microbehunter - Setting up a Home Laboratory for Microscopy

Setting up a Home Chemistry Laboratory

AM microscope in California - microscope adapters, microscopes, accessories - they offer good service and prices

Valley Microscope - Ottawa Ontario, they sell student microscopes and prepared microscope slides

Vermont Optechs - US based offer very reasonable priced used research quality microscopes

Radical microscopes from India - they offer microscopes and accessories for reasonable prices.

How to get Chemicals for a Home Lab - Youtube Video

Lab Microscopes on E-bay - you can get some good deals, but do your home work and research before you buy!

Setting up a home science lab

Doing Biotech in a Bedroom

Safety tips for setting up a home chemistry lab

MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) if you are using chemicals know the dangers.

Download "Ernst Haekel's Artforms in Nature" - beautiful hand drawn Radiolarians - Free PDF

Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Lita MacDonald the regional Zeiss sales representative in Alberta, Sarah Croteau Sales coordinator at Zeiss in Toronto, and John Chan (technical engineer) from Zeiss microscopy. Doug Hayden at Quality Microscope sells Zeiss stereo microscopes and provided me with some components and advice.