Final answer:
In a virtual lab, a pathology lab technician prepares and views specimens under a microscope, notes key cellular features, and may identify pathological conditions in collaboration with pathologists.
Step-by-step explanation:
Role of a Pathology Lab Technician in a Virtual Lab:
As a pathology lab technician in a virtual lab, your task is to simulate procedures that would normally take place in a physical laboratory setting.
- This includes preparing and viewing specimens using different microscopy techniques, such as bright field and phase contrast, to examine the parts of a cell. For example, when comparing plant and animal cells, you would need to note the presence of cell walls and chloroplasts in plant cells that are absent in animal cells. Conversely, animal cells have centrioles which are typically not found in plant cells.
- You would also oversee procedures such as Gram staining to identify bacteria, as indicated by observing purple, grape-like clusters, suggesting the presence of Gram-positive cocci. In a virtual setting, this experience is replicated using digital tools and interactive assignments.
- In addition to microscopic examinations, the technician may be involved in identifying and reporting on cellular abnormalities. This is where collaboration with a pathologist comes in, as pathologists are medical doctors who diagnose diseases from lab findings.
- Together with cyto- technologists and pathologists, lab technicians contribute to clinical diagnosis and research effectively in virtual labs.