English: Unicellular fibers from the underside of a Nerium oleander leaf under microscope

Native, aqueous or temporary slides, as they are also called, are slides that last for a certain period of time and ordinary water is used for their preparation. They are easy and fast for preparation and do not require additional reagents, as well as are quite practical for observing certain structures under a microscope. The procedure for their preparation begins with the preparation of the object and cover glass, which should be wiped thoroughly. Two drops of water are placed on the object glass, one central large and one peripheral smaller. The оleander leaf is taken with one hand and raised to eye level. With the blade, which is in the other hand, make a thin cross section by moving from the outside to the inside. With tweezers, take the intersection from the blade and place it in the central drop of water. A cover glass is placed on it, which is lowered next to the peripheral drop of water and at an angle of 45° it moves towards the middle of the object glass until the moment when the two drops of water merge, during which it is lowered. This procedure needs to be performed precisely because otherwise air bubbles will form which will count during microscopy. In this way the native microscopic slide is prepared and it is ready for microscopy. Unicellular fibers are found on the underside of leaves and they are located in special openings called crypts. Trichomes are an integral part of the epidermis as a covering tissue and had a protective function in plants.

Prepared and performed by Sara Cvetanoska, Institute of Biology, FNSM, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia.