An initial scan of the entire slide is necessary for you to obtain the big picture without missing anything important.

• It is important to observe not only cells but also any other tissue components that may be present.
• Also, it is essential for you to develop an integrated study strategy that combines recognizing structures with knowledge of their function. Understanding structure-function relationships is fundamental to your study of physiology and pathology in the UDOS courses.

Approach the slide, either glass or virtual, like an aerial view. Cruise and see the whole landscape before trying a landing.

• For the virtual slides, start on the lowest power and get the feeling for the whole tissue.
• The image to the right shows a smaller image in the upper left that is the tissue as it appeared on the glass slide the VM slide was made from.
• The little blue box shows the field of view in the larger frame. You may need to adjust the slide-bar at the bottom of the main window to back the magnification off to its minimum.
• Once you've gotten the lay of the 'lay of the land', then increase the magnification in the areas of interest.

Slide preparation.