4.9: Activity 8

Histology of the Retina - Microscopic View

Take out the microscope and the prepared slide of the retina. Draw the histology of retina under high power magnification (Total magnification 400 times), and label the following structures: choroid, pigmented epithelium, photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells.

1. Gather necessary materials: microscope, prepared slides of the retina.
2. Place the prepared retina slide on the microscope stage. Start with the lowest power objective (4 times) to locate the general structure of the retina.
3. Gradually increase the magnification to 10 times and then to 40 times.
4. Carefully observe and identify the following layers and cells (Total magnification 400 times):choroid, pigmented epithelium, photoreceptors, bipolar cells, and ganglion cells.
5. Sketch the retina and label the identified layers and cells. Alternately, take a photomicrograph that cane be the evidence of your work.
6. Discuss your observations with your peers or instructor, focusing on the functional significance of each layer in the context of vision.