About this course

This practical cytology course offers a comprehensive immersion into the exploration of the microscopic world, specifically designed for first-year medical students. Through a structured pedagogical approach, learners discover the theoretical and applied fundamentals of light microscopy, an indispensable tool for understanding core cellular structures. The curriculum is built around three progressive practical lab sessions: mastering the operation and maintenance of the light microscope, conducting comparative observations of animal and plant cells (cheek epithelial cells and onion epidermis), and studying a complex unicellular organism, the Paramecium.

Throughout these sessions, students learn how to prepare thin wet mounts between slides and coverslips, use staining agents (methylene blue and Lugol's iodine) appropriately to highlight cellular organelles, and calculate total observation magnification. By confronting textbook theories with biological reality, this tutorial fosters observation rigor and scientific illustration accuracy, laying an essential foundation for further studies in biology and medicine.

Requirements

To successfully complete this course, students should possess the following skills and background knowledge:

• Basic Theoretical Knowledge: Understand the fundamental principles of cell theory, identify key differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and define the concept of resolving power.

• Microscopy Fundamentals: Understand the operating principles of a light microscope and the essential steps of sample preparation (histological techniques).

• Practical Skills & Safety: Ability to carefully handle glass laboratory equipment and master basic laboratory safety rules and ethical guidelines within a biological laboratory.

Course Staff

• Staff Member #1: Dr. Khaoula GHENAIET

• Instructor #1 Bio: Dr. Khaoula GHENAIET is a lecturer and researcher (PhD) at the Medical Annex of the University of Yahia Fares - Medea. Specializing in cytology and cell biology, she teaches first-year medical students and develops interactive educational materials to facilitate the learning of laboratory techniques. (Email: ghenaiet.khaoula@univ-medea.dz)

Frequently Asked Questions

• What web browser should I use?

  The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari. See our list of supported browsers for the most up-to-date information.

• What is the passing grade for this course?

  To pass this course and earn your certificate, you must achieve an overall minimum grade of 50% across all practical quizzes and assessments.

• Do I need physical laboratory equipment to take this course online?

  No, the course incorporates step-by-step protocols, interactive diagrams, and evaluation quizzes that allow you to virtually master all stages of microscope handling and slide preparation