Basic bioscience laboratory techniques : a pocket guide / Philip Bonner and Alan Hargreaves.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This unique, practical, pocket-sized guide and reference provides every first year bioscience student with all they need to know to prepare reagents correctly and perform fundamental laboratory techniques. It also helps them to analyse their data and present their findings, in addition to directing the reader, via a comprehensive list of references, to relevant further reading

All of the core bioscience laboratory techniques are covered including: basic calculations and the preparation of solutions; aseptic techniques; microscopy techniques; cell fractionation ; spectrophotometry; chromatography of small and large molecules: electrophoresis of proteins and nucleic acids and data analysis. In addition the book includes clear, relevant diagrams and worked examples of calculations.

In short, this is a 'must-have' for all first year bioscience students struggling to get to grips with this vitally important element of their course.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. ix)
• Glossary (p. xi)
• Abbreviations (p. xvii)
• 1 The preparation of solutions in bioscience research (p. 1)
• 1.1 Introduction (p. 1)
• 1.2 Concentration (p. 2)
• 1.3 Using balances to weigh out reagents (p. 3)
• 1.4 Practical considerations when making a 1.0 M solution (p. 6)
• 1.5 Dilutions and the use of pipettes (p. 11)
• 1.6 Water, acids and bases (p. 15)
• 1.7 Buffers (p. 21)
• 1.8 The equilibrium/dissociation constant (Ka) for an acid or base and the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation (p. 24)
• 1.9 Summary (p. 26)
• 2 Microscopy (p. 27)
• 2.1 Introduction (p. 27)
• 2.2 Microscopes - general principles (p. 29)
• 2.3 Principles of image formation (p. 30)
• 2.4 Light microscopy (p. 32)
• 2.5 Electron microscopy (p. 46)
• 2.6 Summary (p. 49)
• 3 Spectrophotometry (p. 51)
• 3.1 Introduction (p. 51)
• 3.2 The electromagnetic spectrum (p. 51)
• 3.3 The absorbance of light (p. 54)
• 3.4 Absorbtion spectrophotometry (p. 56)
• 3.5 The laws of the absorbance of light (p. 57)
• 3.6 The Beer Lambert law (p. 61)
• 3.7 Spectrophotometers (p. 63)
• 3.8 Applications of spectrophotometry in bioscience (p. 68)
• 3.9 Summary (p. 73)
• 4 Data analysis and presentation (p. 74)
• 4.1 Introduction (p. 74)
• 4.2 Statistical analysis of data: some key definitions (p. 76)
• 4.3 Distributions (p. 79)
• 4.4 Statistical comparison of data (p. 85)
• 4.5 Presentation, structure and organization of data in laboratory reports (p. 94)
• 4.6 Summary (p. 100)
• 5 The extraction and clarification of biological material (p. 103)
• 5.1 General introduction (p. 103)
• 5.2 Extraction (p. 103)
• 5.3 Extraction methods for animal and plant tissue (p. 105)
• 5.4 Extraction methods for bacteria (p. 107)
• 5.5 Clarification (p. 108)
• 5.6 Centrifugation techniques (p. 115)
• 5.7 Points of good practice in centrifugation (p. 119)
• 5.8 Summary (p. 120)
• 6 Electrophoresis of proteins and nucleic acids (p. 121)
• 6.1 General introduction (p. 121)
• 6.2 Separation of protein mixtures by gel electrophoresis (p. 122)
• 6.3 Other electrophoretic techniques applied to proteins (p. 136)
• 6.4 Separation of nucleic acids by gel electrophoresis (p. 137)
• 6.5 Applications of gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids (p. 141)
• 6.6 Summary (p. 146)
• 7 Chromatography (p. 147)
• 7.1 General introduction (p. 147)
• 7.2 The theory of chromatography (p. 147)
• 7.3 Factors to consider in chromatography (p. 152)
• 7.4 Methods used to elute samples in chromatography (p. 153)
• 7.5 Different types of chromatography and what properties can be used to separate molecules (p. 153)
• 7.6 Thin layer chromatography (TLC) (p. 156)
• 7.7 High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) (p. 158)
• 7.8 Gas liquid chromatography (GLC) (p. 161)
• 7.9 Ion exchange chromatography (IEX) (p. 162)
• 7.10 Size exclusion chromatography (p. 164)
• 7.11 Affinity chromatography (p. 166)
• 7.12 Summary (p. 167)
• 8 Cell culture techniques (p. 169)
• 8.1 Introduction (p. 169)
• 8.2 Growth and maintenance of cells in culture (p. 174)
• 8.3 Summary (p. 192)
• Suggestions for further reading (p. 195)
• Index (p. 198)

Author notes provided by Syndetics