History The first microscope to be developed was the optical microscope, although the original inventor is not easy

to identify. An early microscope was made in 1590 in Middelburg, Netherlands.[1] Two eyeglass makers are variously given credit: Hans Lippershey (who developed an early telescope) and Zacharias Janssen. Giovanni Faber coined the name microscope for Galileo Galilei's compound microscope in 1625 [2] (Galileo had called it the "occhiolino" or "little eye"). Rise of modern light microscopy The first detailed account of the interior construction of living tissue based on the use of a microscope did not appear until 1644, in Giambattista Odierna's L'occhio della mosca, or The Fly's Eye.[3] It was not until the 1660s and 1670s that the microscope was used extensively for research in Italy, Holland and England. Marcelo Malpighi in Italy began the analysis of biological structures beginning with the lungs. Robert Hooke's Micrographia had a huge impact, largely because of its impressive illustrations. The greatest contribution came from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek who discovered red blood cells and spermatozoa and helped popularise microscopy as a technique. On 9 October 1676, Leeuwenhoek reported the discovery of micro-organisms.[3] In 1893 August Khler developed a key technique for sample illumination, Khler illumination, which is central to modern light microscopy. This method of sample illumination gives rise to extremely even lighting and overcomes many limitations of older techniques of sample illumination. Further developments in sample illumination came from Fritz Zernike in 1953 and George Nomarski 1955 for their development of phase contrast and differential interference contrast illumination which allow imaging of transparent samples.

Parts of a Compound Microscope A compound microscope helps in magnifying an image in two stages. It uses an objective lens that has many powers on a turret and an eyepiece that helps in magnifying the image formed by the objective lens. The compound microscope parts are basically divided into the structural parts of a compound microscope and the optical parts of a compound microscope. A microbiologist should know both these parts of a compound microscope well, before he uses the weapon to enter the invisible world. Labeled Compound Microscope Diagram The following labeled compound microscope diagram will help you identify the various compound microscope parts and functions.

Structural Parts of a Compound Microscope The compound microscope parts are divided into three basic structural components, which can be explained as follows:

Head: The head or body of a compound microscope contains the optical parts of the microscope.

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Base: The base of a compound microscope is helps in supporting the microscope and contains the illuminator. Arm: The arm acts as a connector between the base and the head of the compound microscope.

Optical Parts of a Compound Microscope

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Eyepiece: The eyepiece is the ocular lens that helps you look through to see a magnified image from the top of the microscope. The lens have a power of magnification of about 10x or 15x. Eyepiece Tube: The part that connects the eyepiece with the objective lens is the tube. Objective Lens: You can see three or four objective lens attached to the end of the tube. The lenses range from 4x to 100x magnifying powers. To make matters simple, you can identify the longest objective lens as the one that provides the highest magnification power. The shortest objective lens is the one that provides minimum magnification power. Turret: The nose piece that supports the objective lens is known as turret. You can rotate the turret and change the power magnifications as per requirement. Coarse and Fine Focus: These are the knobs that help focus the microscope. There are many compound microscopes that have coaxial knobs. The coaxial knobs are built on the same axis as the fine focus knob on the outside. This proves to be more convenient to use as you do not need to fumble with different knobs. Stage: The stage is the flat surface on which you keep the specimen to be observed. Stage Clips: The stage clips are used when you need to move the slide to view different sections of the specimen. Aperture: The tiny hole in the stage that helps in transmitting base light to the stage. Illuminator: The light source that is located at the base of the microscope. Many light microscopes use low voltage halogen bulbs. They have a continuous variable light control part at the base that helps in focusing in different light range. Condenser: The condenser is present at the base of the stage. It is usually connected to the iris diaphragm. Iris Diaphragm: This compound microscope part helps in controlling the amount of light that reaches the specimen. The diaphragm is located above the condenser and below the stage. Condenser Focus Knob: In order to help the condenser move up and down and control the lighting focus on the specimen, a condenser focus knob is used.

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Functions of a Compound Microscope The compound microscope functions is a tool for scientific education and research. Without the microscope, one will never be able to understand the world of microorganisms. Exploration and explanation is the basic mantra of the compound microscope functions. The various functions of compound microscope, according to each part are as follows:

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Eyepiece: The eyepiece helps you look at the magnified image of the specimen that is usually magnified by 10x. Coarse Adjust: These helps in focusing the specimen under low magnification. Fine Adjust: This helps in focusing the specimen under high or low magnification. Low Power Objective Lens: The low power objective helps in viewing large specimens. High Power Objective: These are used for a detailed view of the specimen and small specimens. Stage: The stage helps in supporting the specimen and helps you keep the specimen on the correct location. Condenser: The condenser helps in focusing the light on the specimen. Iris Diaphragm: This is used to help in regulation of the amount of light and contrast. Illuminator: This helps in illuminating the specimen kept on stage.

This was some information about compound microscope parts and functions. The microscope has come a long way since the experimental tubes made by two Dutch spectacle makers, Zacharias Janssen and his son Hans in 1590. Antony van Leeuwenhoek would have never imagined that one day, it would be possible to view the minute details of the cell organelles of what he called 'animalcules'. You will find many different types of microscopes today, that help in different fields of life sciences. I hope this article on compound microscope parts and functions was useful for you and you have been able to understand the microscope with the help of labeled compound microscope diagram.

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