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CHAPTER 2 ■ Viewing the Microbial World 15

TABLE 2-1 Relative Sizes of Microbes

MICROBE OR MICROBIAL STRUCTURE DIMENSION(S) APPROXIMATE SIZE (␮m)

Viruses (most) Diameter 0.01–0.3
Bacteria
Cocci (spherical bacteria) Diameter average ⫽ 1
Bacilli (rod-shaped bacteria) Width ⫻ length average ⫽ 1 ⫻ 3
Filaments (width) 1
Fungi
Yeasts Diameter 3–5
Septate hyphae (hyphae containing cross-walls) Width 2–15
Aseptate hyphae (hyphae without cross-walls) Width 10–30
Pond water protozoa
Chlamydomonas Length 5–12
Euglena Length 35–55
Vorticella Length 50–145
Paramecium Length 180–300
Volvoxa Diameter 350–500
Stentora Length (when extended) 1,000–2,000
a
These organisms are visible with the unaided human eye.

TABLE 2-2 Characteristics of Various Types of Microscopes

RESOLVING USEFUL
TYPE POWER MAGNIFICATION CHARACTERISTICS
Brightfield 0.2000 ␮m ⫻1,000 Used to observe morphology of microorganisms such as bacteria,
protozoa, fungi, and algae in living (unstained) and nonliving
(stained) state
Cannot observe microbes less than 0.2 ␮m in diameter or
thickness, such as spirochetes and viruses
Darkfield 0.2000 ␮m ⫻1,000 Unstained organisms are observed against a dark background
Useful for examining thin spirochetes
Slightly more difficult to operate than brightfield
Phase-contrast 0.2000 ␮m ⫻1,000 Can be used to observe unstained living microorganisms
Fluorescence 0.2000 ␮m ⫻1,000 Fluorescent dye attached to organism
Primarily an immunodiagnostic technique (immunofluorescence)
Used to detect microbes in cells, tissues, and clinical specimens
Transmission 0.0002 mm ⫻200,000 Specimen is viewed on a screen
electron (0.2 nm) Excellent resolution
microscope Allows examination of cellular and viral ultrastructure
(TEM) Specimen is nonliving
Reveals internal features of thin specimens
Scanning 0.0200 mm ⫻10,000 Specimen is viewed on a screen
electron (20 nm) Gives the illusion of depth (three-dimensions)
microscope Useful for examining surface features of cells and viruses
(SEM) Specimen is nonliving
Resolution is less than that of TEM