Mortimer Abramowitz, a renowned microscopist and photomicrographer, received the New York Microscopical Society (NYMS) Ernst Abbe Memorial Award in 2002. Although currently a consultant with Olympus America, microscopy was originally a hobby for Abramowitz. For many years he held various positions in New York public schools, beginning as teacher, then becoming principal, and finally acting as Superintendent. However, he was simultaneously an active member of the NYMS, becoming a Fellow in 1970. Microscopy eventually became his career when he joined Olympus in 1982. Since then, Abramowitz has penned numerous articles and books on microscopy and has received several awards, both for his contributions to the field and for his stunning photomicrographs.

Acetanilide Crystallites - Acetanilide is a synthetic compound that was first used for its fever reduction and painkilling properties in the late Nineteenth Century. For many years it was utilized as an alternative to aspirin to treat various ailments, but large-scale medical use dissipated when the toxic side effects of consuming acetanilide became apparent.

Ague Tree (Sassafras albidum) Section - The name of the Sassafras albidum tree is frequently shortened to sassafras, although it is sometimes alternatively known as the ague tree or cinnamon wood. Native to sandy soils of North America, the species is often harvested for use as fence posts, cabinetry, and furniture. The oil of the ague tree was once the key ingredient of root beer.

Amphibian Lung Section - Frogs and other amphibians are often used as indicator species because their skin is very permeable and they absorb and concentrate toxins in their fatty tissues. Also, amphibians are particularly sensitive to pollution because they live at the threshold of two different habitats.

Arteriole Stained Thin Section - Arterioles vary in size, gradually becoming smaller and smaller as they move further away from the artery from which they extend. The largest arterioles consist of three layers, which become increasingly thinner and less discrete as the vessel decreases in size. By the time they reach the capillaries, the arterioles are little more than a thin lining encircled by a layer of muscle fibers.

Augite Polished Section - Augite is a dark mineral important in the formation of igneous rocks that is most frequently found in basalts, dolerites, and gabbros. Often prismatic in shape, augite may consist of rectangular or octagonal cross sections and is typically dark green to black in color. Although its name derives from the Greek word for brightness, augite is not usually considered attractive and is generally only of interest to collectors and scientists.

Augite in Basalt - Basalts usually begin as a dark gray or black, but can develop a greenish or reddish crust when weathered. The grains of basalt are so fine that they cannot be distinguished without the help of a microscope. Under the sea, basalt flows are vast and are mostly found along oceanic ridges.

Blowfly Mouth Parts - In flight, blowflies make a characteristic loud buzzing sound and they will feed on most anything. The larvae of most species, however, are scavengers that subsist on decaying flesh or other organic material. Occasionally, blowfly larvae will inhabit lesions of living animals, which helps to keep wounds clean, but also frequently damages healthy tissue.

Bolting Cloth - The term bolting refers to the dry screening of a substance and bolting cloth was originally used for flour sifting by the milling industry. Traditionally silk cloth was used for bolting processes, although it is rarely used today. Polyester and nylon are now more popular because the materials are more consistent and long lived since they are synthetic.

Brain Cell (Neuron) Culture - The brain is composed of neurons and neuroglia, the two basic cell types of the nervous system. Originally neuroglia were believed to function only as a structural support system for neurons, but they have since proven to have properties similar to the electrically excitable neurons and most likely serve other purposes within the brain.

Butternut Tree (Juglans cinerea) Thin Section - Humans have utilized Juglans cinerea, better known as the butternut tree, for a wide variety of purposes for thousands of years. Many Native American tribes used their sap as sugar, their bark as a treatment for rheumatism, and the oil of their nuts for cooking. The Shakers frequently used the wood to make furniture and it is sometimes contemporarily utilized for cabinetwork, interior finishing, and household goods.

Cast Iron Grain Boundaries - First developed during the Fourth Century BC in China, cast iron was used to make early Greek coins, but was not widely available in Europe until the 1400s. The material is extremely strong, but is rather brittle and cannot be bent or shaped in any way once it has solidified.

Cat Brain Cryptococcus Infection - Cryptococcus species are common on leaf surfaces, but the foremost pathogen of the 37 genus members is Cryptococcus neoformans, which can cause the infection cryptococcosis in cats, dogs, horses, cattle, and humans. The most common predisposition factor for developing cryptococcosis is immune system problems, such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) in cats and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in humans.

Computer Chip Surfaces in Reflected Light - Computers have become practically indispensable in modern times, infiltrating almost every area of daily life. However, when an engineer at Texas Instruments named Jack Kilby developed the first integrated circuit, which consisted of three electronic components on a single silicon disc, in 1958 few could foresee the full magnitude of his actions.

Daphnia Egg Case - Populations of Daphnia usually consist of parthenogenetic females that produce only other females. However, during periods of stress, such as cold weather, drought, or overpopulation, males are produced along with haploid eggs. After sexual fertilization, the eggs remain in the brood chamber of female Daphnia until the next molting period. Encased in modified and thickened cases known as ephippia, the eggs can survive many years in severe conditions after they are released.

DDT Pesticide Crystallites - DDT is an organochlorine pesticide that has a notorious history. Once hailed as the savior of millions of lives for its help in eradicating disease-carrying insects, the substance later came under fire for potentially dangerous health and environmental effects, and common use was banned in the United States in 1972.

Digestive Tissue Goblet Cells - Special units called goblet cells produce mucus to line the digestive tract. The mucus protects the inside of the gut from hard coarse food, allowing undigested items to easily glide through. The mucus membrane also keeps the stomach from self-digestion and acid damage and does not allow digestive enzymes to reach living cells in other parts of the body.

Dogfish Sharkskin Scales - Similar to other sharks, dogfish have placoid scales, which are spiny and covered in an enamel-like substance. Sometimes referred to as dermal denticles because of their similarity to teeth, shark scales slant towards the tail end of the shark and reduce friction against water, making swimming easier. Sharkskin is so rough that it used to be utilized to polish wood, as sandpaper is used today.

Dogwood (Cornus florida) Tangential Section - Better known as the flowering dogwood, Cornus florida is a small bushy tree frequently used as an ornamental. In addition to a great number of white or pink flower bracts, the deciduous tree grows red oval berries that hang in clusters and mature in the fall. The dense crown of the tree makes the dogwood good for providing shade and its modest size makes it a popular planting choice of homeowners with small yards

Ductile Cast Iron - Due to its favorable mechanical qualities and because it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, cast iron is used for many different purposes. One of the earliest applications of cast iron was to make pots, which are still occasionally used in modern times because they transfer a more steady, even heat than cookware made of other materials. Cast iron is not as popular in kitchens as it once was, however, because it is porous and occasionally gives food a metallic flavor.

Ephedrine Sulfate Crystallites - Ephedrine, also known as ephedra or ma huang, is a stimulant originally derived from an Asiatic shrub. The substance is frequently included in diet supplements, but has recently come under fire for its potentially fatal side effects. When artificially synthesized or combined with other synergistic stimulants, the potential for adverse reactions, including nervousness, hypertension, nerve damage, heart rate irregularities, tremors, strokes, heart attacks, and respiratory depression, may increase.

Epidermis Stained Thin Section - Separated into several smaller strata, the human epidermis is composed of various cell types, but principally consists of keratinocytes. Blood is not provided to the epidermis and the most superficial cells are dead, sloughing off continually in small fragments. Some other animals, such as snakes, however, shed their dead skin all at once in a process known as ecdysis.

Feline Spinal Cord - In hopes of finding new ways to aid those impaired with spinal cord problems, scientists frequently study cats. Cats are prime candidates for spinal cord research because they are more similar to humans than rodents and a significant amount of information about feline neuroscience already exists.

Fern Stalk Cross Section - There are an estimated 15,000 species of ferns that exist at the present time, all of which have true roots, complex leaves and stems. The stem from which the fern leaves, or fronds, protrude is known as a rhizome. Often difficult to see because of the surrounding foliage, rhizomes sometimes exist entirely underground.

Fern Stalk Longitudinal Section - Spore-producing plants belonging to the division Filicophyta are commonly referred to as ferns. The primitive vascular plants are extremely diverse and have been present on Earth for over 300 million years. The Native Americans frequently utilized fern rhizomes for domestic purposes, beating out the starch for consumption and using the fiber as a textile.

Ferrosilicon Alloy Surface - The primary use of ferrosilicon is as an alloying agent in the production of steel and cast iron. When ferrosilicon is added before casting steel, the strength, hardness and elasticity of steel greatly improves and its magnetic conductivity increases. By depositing ferrosilicon into iron that is to be cast, the formation of carbide can be prevented, the separating of graphite can be improved, and the basic properties of cast iron are enhanced.

Fetal Mouse Tissue - Rather than consisting of animals belonging to a single taxonomic category, various species of rodents are commonly referred to as mice. The common house mouse, Mus musculus, is native to Asia but spread throughout Europe centuries ago and migrated to other parts of the world with humans on ships. Laboratory mice are specialized strains of house mice, with scientists carefully controlling the traits the rodents exhibit through prescribed breeding and genetic engineering.

Fibroblast Nuclei - Fibroblasts are long, flat, spindle-shaped cells that produce tropocollagen, the precursor of collagen, and ground substance, an amorphous gel-like material that fills the intracellular spaces in connective tissue. Inactive fibroblasts, embedded in ground substance, are known as fibrocytes and are smaller than their active counterparts. If an organ becomes injured, however, fibrocytes are induced to propagate and migrate to the wound.

Foraminifera Plankton - Foraminifera are microscopic unicellular organisms that can be found in all marine environments. Though the creatures are small, foraminifera achieve amazing densities, hundreds of thousands of their shells existing in a single cubic centimeter of sediment. Sometimes known simply as forams, foraminifera may be free-floating, planktonic species, but the vast majority are benthic (bottom-dwellers).

Granophyre Thin Section - Granophyre is similar to, but more fine textured than, granite. The material often occurs in layered intrusions among other rocks, such as gabbro. Porphyritic, granophyre is characterized by the presence of large, distinct crystals in a finely grained groundmass.

Graphite Particles in Cast Iron - When cast iron solidifies, graphite particles generally form on the material’s surface. In fact, the various types of cast iron can easily be differentiated by the shape of the graphite particles produced. Precisely why the graphite forms on cast iron, however, is uncertain and dominant views have varied over the years.

Gray Cast Iron - Gray cast irons are so named because of the many flakes of graphite they contain, which convey a dull gray color to the material. Phosphorous is used to lower the freezing point and slow the solidification process of gray cast irons in order that they may be formed into intricate designs. Graphite formation, however, is increased during extended periods of solidification and the correspondingly high graphite content of gray cast irons reduces the metal’s strength and flexibility.

Hair Shaft Section - Each individual hair is divided into a hair shaft that protrudes from the skin and a hair root, which is the portion embedded in the skin. The root thickens at the end to become a bulb, which together with the underlying papillae, is responsible for the nourishment, development and growth of the hair. A dermal sheath of connective tissue surrounds the hair root, forming a hair follicle.

Hippuric Acid Crystallites - Consumption of cranberries is sometimes associated with augmented hippuric acid production. A long time folk remedy, eating cranberries or drinking cranberry juice may have significant benefits, including good urinary tract health. Although the mechanisms are not yet clearly understood, when the body metabolizes the benzoic acid that naturally occurs in cranberries the result is elevated amounts of hippuric acid, which in turn is believed to inhibit microbial growth.

Human Bone Thin Section - The recent “Got Milk?” advertising campaign inspired thoughts of strong, healthy bones in a new generation of consumers. However, physicians argue that dairy products do not build higher bone densities on their own, but that exercise, sunlight, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables are also needed.

Human Intestinal Tissue - The gut, sometimes referred to as the alimentary canal or the gastrointestinal tract, is approximately nine meters long in the typical human adult. Extending from the mouth to the anus, the outer walls of the gut are composed of layers of muscle and tissue that undergo peristalsis, or waves of contraction, which push the food along its path. Although metabolism rates differ from person to person, food generally takes 18 to 20 hours to completely pass through the gut.

Injected Skin Capillaries - Oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and wastes are exchanged between the blood and the body tissues via capillaries. Capillaries are part of a large branching network of circulatory vessels and are the final destination of arterial blood flowing from the heart. Correspondingly, the capillaries are also the starting point for flow of venous blood returning to the heart.

Insect Antennae - Antennae, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, are often constant within a group and taken into consideration when classifying an insect. For instance, butterfly antennae are usually long, thin, and knobbed at the tip whereas moth antennae can be much more complex and often resemble feathers. In addition to sex pheromones, insect antennae are able to detect a broad range of odors specific to their habitat.

Jellyfish Mantle Edge - There are approximately 200 recognized species of jellyfish, which vary greatly in size, shape, and color. The smallest jellyfish may be less than an inch in diameter and the largest may have tentacles that stretch over a hundred feet long. Jellyfish have limited sense organs, but can still smell, taste and remain balanced in water.

Kidney Stained Tissue - The kidney is one of the major homeostatic devices of the body. The organ maintains water balance and expels metabolic wastes in vertebrates and some invertebrates. In primal and embryonic organisms, kidneys have sets of specialized tubules that empty into collecting ducts that pass urine into a primitive bladder.

Leaf Scale - The majority of leaves are green throughout most of the year, but may change to bright red, yellow, and orange hues in temperate regions during autumn. The sudden change in coloration does not serve a particular function, but is a side effect of chemical changes caused by increasingly shorter periods of daylight. Interestingly, leaves contain the same amount of yellow pigmentation year-round but the lighter color is masked in the summer months by the green of chlorophyll.

Leaf Stomates and Guard Cells - Stomates enable a leaf to exchange vapor and gases through the waxy cuticle barrier. The guard cells regulate the opening and closing of the stomates in response to various environmental conditions. For instance, stimuli such as darkness or an internal water deficit have a propensity to close stomates and decrease transpiration.

Lung Tissue - Relatively vulnerable, the lungs are frequently a site of infection and diseases, such as emphysema, cancer, tuberculosis, and pneumonia. Asthma, however, is perhaps the most commonly incurred lung condition, currently affecting approximately five percent of the populations in developed countries. Rates are continuing to rise and speculation about the cause is abundant.

Lung Tissue with Movat Stain - The lungs do not function independently, but are part of the larger respiratory system. The inner side of each lung is attached to veins, pulmonary arteries, nerves, bronchi, and lymphatic vessels. The bronchi branch repeatedly within the lungs, becoming smaller tubules known as bronchioles. The bronchioles lead to the alveoli, diminutive air sacs that are the location of gas exchange between the respiratory spaces and the capillaries.

Medium Carbon Steel - The carbon steels are subdivided into low, medium, and high grades based on the percentage of carbon they contain. High carbon steels contain greater amounts of carbon, and are, therefore, the hardest. However, low carbon steels have the advantage of being more ductile. Medium carbon steels, which are usually 0.2 to 0.49 percent carbon, can be heat treated to have a good blend of the favorable qualities of both and are popular for their combination of strength and ductility.

Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast (3t3) Cell Culture - Other cell lines were in use before 3t3 cells, but this newer culture line soared to the forefront of science because of its particular characteristics. Unlike other tissue cultures available at the time, 3t3 cells did not cause tumors when injected in mice. Careful study led to the discovery of the underlying cause, which is that the cells exhibit a highly developed inhibition of growth based on density levels.

Oxalic Acid Crystallites - Oxalic acid occurs naturally in many plants and is also synthesized by the human body. Consumption of large doses of oxalic acid can cause health problems and, if in its pure form, even death. The reason that oxalic acid can be detrimental is that it binds with important nutrients, primarily calcium, and makes them unusable to the body.

Plant Stem Tissue - Generally, plant stems are thought to be vertical structures, but they may also lie on the ground, climb on rocks and other objects, or be completely subterranean. The principal occupation of the stem is to sustain the leaves by conducting water, food, and minerals to them. Through photosynthesis, the leaves transform the materials into a more utilizable form, which the stem then transports to the roots and other areas of the plant.

Recrystallized Potassium Chlorate - Potassium chlorate is soluble in water and is often used in weed killers, bleach, disinfectants, textile printing and the making of paper. However, since a mixture of potassium chlorate and phosphorus, sulfur, or various other organic compounds, including charcoal and sugar, explodes upon friction, the chemical is frequently used for more volatile purposes. Fireworks, matches, and explosives all commonly contain the substance.

Redwood Tree (Sequoia sempervirens) Radial Section - Sequoia sempervirens, more commonly known as the redwood tree, is native only to an approximately 450-mile stretch along the North American Pacific Coast. The conifers are the tallest living trees on the planet, some of which are more than 2,000 years old. Mature redwoods have a thick, deeply furrowed reddish brown bark that makes them very resistant to fire damage, although young trees burn easily.

Resorcinol Crystallites - Frequently a component of skin care products, resorcinol can be found in sunscreens as well as various anti-fungal creams and ointments. In conjunction with sulfur, resorcinol is applied as a treatment for conditions such as acne, eczema, dermatitis, and dandruff because it helps breakdown hard, rough skin. However, resorcinol products should be used in moderation because the substance is potentially irritating.

Sea Urchin Spine - Sea urchins are spiny, radial invertebrates that live on the ocean floor. Over 700 species of sea urchins currently exist, the largest of which may have toxic spines that reach up to 12 inches in length. When a sea urchin dies, however, all of its spines fall off leaving only its hard shell, called a test.

Skin Sebaceous Gland - Sebaceous glands are simple branched areolar glands that exude an oily substance known as sebum. A natural skin softener, sebum helps keep hair from becoming brittle and skin from becoming dry and rough. Sebum also contains a bactericidal agent that inhibits the growth of a variety of bacteria.

Skin Hair Follicle - Humans produce two primary types of hair, vellus and terminal. Vellus hair is the soft, downy hair that lacks color. The follicles that produce vellus hair are normally shallow and the hair shaft they produce is usually small. Terminal hair, such as that of the scalp or eyebrows, is coarse, pigmented, and deeply rooted. Hair sometimes gradually shifts between types, often because of a change in the hormones of the body

Skin Hair Shaft with Sebaceous Glands - Sebaceous glands are scattered over the entire surface of the skin, except for the palms of the hands and the soles and sides of the feet. The simple branched areolar glands exude an oily substance known as sebum. Sebum is usually secreted onto the hair shaft, but in a few regions of the body it is directly emitted onto the surface of the skin.

Sponge Spicule - Primitive multicellular organisms belonging to the phylum Porifera, sponges can be occasionally found in freshwater, but thrive more often in the sea. Sponges do not have definite organs to carry out their functions and generally do not move from place to place, which resulted in the early mistaken belief that they were plants rather than animals.

Striated Muscle Thin Section - Striated muscles are sometimes alternatively referred to as voluntary, striped, or skeletal muscles. The fibers of the muscle group, composed of actin and myosin filaments, are long, thin, and marked with a characteristic pattern of red and white bands. Bundled together in cords, striated muscles are connected to bones by tendons and have the ability to rapidly contract.

Sycamore Tree (Plantanus occidentalis) Section - Plantanus occidentalis, more commonly known as the sycamore, is a deciduous tree native to North America. Since its bark is rigid and incapable of expansion, as the sycamore grows, older bark peels away, giving the tree its characteristic rough appearance. Sycamores are often used as shade trees although they are sensitive to ozone damage, fungal growth, and insect infestation.

Thyroid Gland - Essential to proper growth, thyroid hormone deficiency is sometimes a cause of dwarfism and mental retardation. Other problems related to a shortage of thyroid hormone include sluggish metabolism, inflammation, goiters, and nodules. Although less common, the thyroid sometimes produces an overabundance of hormones, causing the body to burn calories too quickly.

Titanium Oxide - Together titanium and oxygen form a number of stable phases, the most functional of which is titanium dioxide. As the whitest substance known, titanium dioxide is frequently utilized as a pigment in non-toxic paints and as a component in linoleum, cosmetics, high-quality paper and false teeth. For many years, titanium dioxide has also been used as a durable protective optical coating that can be layered to create various kinds of mirrors and beamsplitters.

Tongue Stained Thin Section - The tongue is not only useful for speech in humans, but is important for chewing, swallowing, and sucking, and as the location of the taste buds. Many other vertebrates, however, use their tongues for additional purposes. Frogs, anteaters, and chameleons, for instance, have elongated, sticky tongues modified to capture prey. Giraffes are herbivores, but also have prehensile tongues, which they use to grasp leaves and twigs from treetops.

Urea Crystallites - Sometimes urea is not processed properly with in the body, often a sign of a urea cycle disorder. The condition is genetically inherited and is caused by a deficiency of one of the enzymes that is supposed to remove the waste product nitrogen, generated by protein metabolism, from the blood. The nitrogen accumulates and is stored as ammonia, rather than being transferred into urea and exiting the body with the urine. Extremely toxic, the substance migrates through the blood into the brain where it can cause severe damage and even death.

Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine) - Vitamin B-6 is a water-soluble organic compound that is particularly abundant in cereal grains, meats, nuts, and some fruits and vegetables. In humans, vitamin B-6 is essential for various functions in the body, such as red blood cell and protein metabolism. Large doses of vitamin B6 have often been recommended for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, although scientific research does not indicate its efficacy.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) - Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble substance that most animals can synthesize and is important in various bodily metabolic processes. Primates, including humans, and guinea pigs are, however, required to intake vitamin C as part of their diet in order to maintain good health. A human deficiency of vitamin C results in the disease known as scurvy, one of the oldest recognized nutritional disorders.

Water Flea (Daphnia) - Water fleas are tiny crustaceans that belong to the order Cladocera. Approximately 150 species of water fleas have been identified in North America, almost all of which inhabit freshwater. Extremely prolific, thousands of the small animals may inhabit a single square meter of water and are, therefore, an important part of the food chain.

Water Lily Leaf - Generally perennial, water lilies produce beautiful, solitary flowers that usually rest at the surface of the water. Arranged in a spiral, their numerous petals form a cuplike shape. The leaves of the plants are coated in a waxy substance and contain many air spaces, which make them buoyant.

Western Larch (Larix occidentalis) Thin Section - The North American tree species Larix occidentalis is more commonly known as the western larch and is primarily found in the Pacific Northwest. Coniferous, western larch needles, seeds, and bark are a food source for several species, including the blue grouse, the red crossbill, various rodents, porcupines and bears. The species has very thick bark that contains little resin and is remarkably fire-resistant.

Whelk Palate - There are over 800 species of the marine snails known as whelks in the world and most are found in cold water. Tropical varieties also exist, but are generally smaller and more colorful than their coldwater counterparts. The shells of whelks are generally elongated with a wide opening and are frequently incorrectly described as conchs.

Wood Tangential Section - In addition to acting as the primary strengthening and nutrient conducting tissue of trees and other plants, wood is extremely versatile in its applications for human use. The abundant natural material is utilized in many common products, such as lumber, furniture, and paper, but is perhaps most important as the primary source of fuel in many parts of the world.