MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

I’m having difficulty locating Amoebas on my slides (40x,100x, 400x) because of their transparency and no definitive shape. I have no difficulty with any other specimens. I appreciate any advice.

Some method of adding contrast will help. Phase contrast, darkfield, oblique, DIC, etc.

Yeah, oblique illumination is probably the simplest and easiest way to show up protists generally. You also need to be fairly certain that you actually have some! Here are some useful tips https://www.microscopemaster.com/amoeba ... scope.html

Louise

Thanks, I'll let you know how I make out.

In my opinion, if it can not be found through bright field illumination (reducing the grating aperture), any other means to increase the contrast can do nothing.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15675

I hadn't realised I had a slide full of amoeba until I happened to be playing about with crossed polarisers. Even at low power the amoebas jump out at you, glittering brightly as the crystals in the cytoplasm flow around the cell. I now use this method routinely to check for amoeba, I recommend you try it.

If your scope is not set up with polarisers one over the field diaphragm and one over the eyepiece should work, rotate either to extinction. If they're photographic polarisers first check which way up they need to be to get proper extinction.