Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry  ISSN 2089-6514 (paper) 
Volume 5, Number 2, 2016 | Pages: 41-47 | DOI: 10.14421/biomedich.2016.52.41-47 ISSN 2540-9328 (online) 
 
 

 

 

Optimization of Binocular Microscope with Micro Digital Camera for 

Measuring Seminiferous Tubules Epithelium Height 

 
Sutriyono  

Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, 

Jl. Marsda Adisucipto No 1 Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia. Tel. +62-274-540971, Fax. +62-274-519739 

 

Author correspondency:  
sutriyono@uin-suka.ac.id 

 

 

Abstract 

 

Binocular microscope optimization using micro digital camera to measure seminiferous tubules epithelium of mouse testis (Mus muculus) 

was completed. This research was conducted at Biology Laboratory of Faculty of Science and Technology UIN Sunan Kalijaga. The 

purpose of this study was to determine the height of the seminiferous tubules epithelium of mouse testis using micro digital camera. A 

computer was connected with binocular microscope and optilab advance, then calibration of optilab advance were done on objective lens 

magnification at 4x, 10x and 40x with 10x ocular lens. The analysis used was descriptive analysis. The mean of  the seminiferous tubules 

epithelium height is 105.6 μm. Optimization on computer and binocular microscope with micro digital camera can be used to measure 

seminiferous tubules epithelium. 

 

Keywords: seminiferous tubules epithelium; binocular microscope; micro digital camera; mouse testis. 

 

 

INTRODUCTION 
 

Binocular microscopes are commonly used to view 

microscopic objects at magnification of 4x, 10x, 40x, 

100x objective lenses and of the 10x ocular lens, 

resulting in a maximum magnification of 1000x. The 

microscope can be used to measure the size of organ or 

cell. measurement of  length or height of cells or organs 

can be done using micrometer slide. After the organ or 

cell image are taken, the measurement were done using 

micrometer photomicrograph at the same magnification. 

We can also measure the size of the cell or organ 

directly by using  a camera in which there is a ruler 

menu that works to scale or measure cells or organs. 

There are two shortcuts in optilab, optilab viewer and 

raster image. Inside the optilab viewer there are tools 

(buttons) for image snippets (photos), video recording 

(for recording in video form) and successive snippets 

(for sequential photos). For raster image shortcuts there 

are facilities for enumerators (counting by marking), 

scale (which can be dropped freely), there is also a 

marking facility that can be either arrow, circle, plus 

sign or box, there is also a ruler button that can be used 

to measure Height, length or diameter of the cell or 

organ. Knowing the height of epithelial tissue in the 

seminiferous tubules is important as seminiferous 

tubules can be used as indicators in the process of 

spermatogenesis. 

One of the important parameters in histology is the 

size of  organ and cells, for example measuring the 

diameter of the seminiferous tubule and the height of 

mouse epithelium tubulus seminiferous. For microscope 

to be able to measure, it is required additional tools 

namely micro digital camera that have facilities to 

measure on a micron scale. Therefore, a combination of 

binocular microscopy with a micro digital camera can be 

used to measure the height of the seminiferous tubule of 

epithelial cells. This paper will described the 

optimization of binocular microscope with micro digital 

camera for measuring seminiferous tubule epithelium 

height. 

 

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 
 

The equipment and materials used in this study are a set 

of PC or laptop, binocular microscope, Miconos optical 

advanced digital micro camera, histological slide of 

testis. The research was conducted in biological 

laboratory, Faculty of Science & Technology UIN 

Sunan Kalijaga. This research began with assembling a 

computer or laptop with a binocular microscope and 

connecting a digital micro optilab advace camera. 

Before taking measurements, optilab advande needs to 

be calibrated first, ie at the magnification of the 

objective lens 4x, 10x and 40x, so that the maximal 

magnification used is 400x. Objective lens calibration 

process begins by calibrating the smallest magnification 

of 4x, by clicking the raster image then select the open 

button then select the micrometer image with 4x 

magnification, then click the calibration button, the 

objective lens is worth 4x then select the micrometer 

image again with 4x magnification then calibration 

mode 4x flashing, click and drag the micron and input 

http://dx.doi.org/10.14421/biomedich.2016.52.41-47


 

 

 

42 Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry 5 (2), 2016: 41-47 
 

 

the measuring value then saved. Take the same steps for 

10x and 40x objective lens magnification. Then 

measurements of epithelial tubular epithelial cells testis 

and recording could be done. Of the many slide 

preparations, we selected three slide, in each slide 

selected three slices of testicular organ, in each slice of 

the testicular organ selected three seminiferous tubules, 

in each seminiferous tubule an epithelium cell 

measurement was measured three times. 

 
 

 
 

Figure 1. A set of microscope and optilab advance. 

 
 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
 

Appearance of testis before measurement: 

 

 
 

Figure 2. Mus musculus testis.10x10 magnification. 
 

 

This study measured the length or height of 

epithelium cells in the seminiferous tubules. Prior to 

measurement the height of the tubular epithelium 

seminiferus testis, we select three intact seminiferous 

tubules. The corresponding cells are marked (Figure 3). 

 
 

Figure 3. Marked tubulus seminiferous to be measured. 

 

 

 

Selected tubulus seminiferuos were measured 

(Figure 4-Figure 9). 

 

 
 

 
 

Figure 4. Measurement of the epithelium height on slide 1 tubulus 1 at 

40x40 magnification resulting three values as follows: (A). 123,9 µm; 

137,7 µm; 88,6 µm, (B). 81,6 µm; 84,8 µm; 89,2 µm. 
 

 
 

 
 

 

 



 

 

 

 Sutriyono – Optimization of Binocular Microscope with Micro Digital Camera for … 43 
 

 

    
 

   
 

   
 

Figure 5. Measurement of the epithelium height on slide 1 tubulus 1 at 40x40 magnification resulting three values as follows: (A). 91,9 µm; 134,1 µm; 

127,3 µm, (B). 114,7 µm; 102,9 µm; 90,9 µm; (C). 117,7 µm; 106,4 µm; 137,2 µm, (D). 142,3 µm; 115,1 µm; 132,4 µm, (E). 97,6 µm; 86,1 µm; 98,3 µm, 
(F). 132,7 µm; 104,6 µm; 95,3 µm. 

 



 

 

 

44 Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry 5 (2), 2016: 41-47 
 

 

   
 

   
 

   
 

Figure 6. Measurement of the epithelium height on slide 1 tubulus 1 at 40x40 magnification resulting three values as follows: (A). 119,6 µm; 144,8 µm; 
101,1 µm, (B). 91,7 µm; 96,2 µm; 107,6 µm, (C). 87,0 µm; 111,9 µm; 150,8 µm, (D). 79,4 µm; 125,1 µm; 122,1 µm; (E). 78,5 µm; 106,2 µm; 93,3 µm, 

(F). 93,4 µm; 82,5 µm; 124,3 µm. 

 
 

 

 
  
 



 

 

 

 Sutriyono – Optimization of Binocular Microscope with Micro Digital Camera for … 45 
 

 

   
  

   
 

   
 

Figure 7. Measurement of the epithelium height on slide 1 tubulus 1 at 40x40 magnification resulting three values as follows:  (A). 94,8 µm; 100,9 µm; 

109,7 µm, (B). 132,0 µm; 106,3 µm; 75,6 µm, (C). 134,8 µm; 92,9 µm; 140,5 µm, (D). 78,4 µm; 104,2 µm; 93,2 µm, (E). 103,1 µm; 115,7 µm; 75,8 µm, 
(F). 159,1 µm; 71,6 µm; 106,3 µm. 

 



 

 

 

46 Biology, Medicine, & Natural Product Chemistry 5 (2), 2016: 41-47 
 

 

   
 

   
 

   
 

  

Figure 8. Measurement of the epithelium height on slide 1 tubulus 1 at 40x40 magnification resulting three values as follows:  (A). 117,1 µm; 92,2 µm; 

89,6 µm, (B). 97,3 µm; 99,4 µm; 113,4 µm, (C). 82,7 µm; 123,0 µm; 91,3 µm, (D). 78,1 µm; 132,5 µm; 81,8 µm, (E). 99,2 µm; 113,0 µm; 49,8 µm, (F). 
154,1 µm; 68,2 µm; 120,5 µm. 

 

  
 



 

 

 

 Sutriyono – Optimization of Binocular Microscope with Micro Digital Camera for … 47 
 

 

 
 

Figure 9. Measurement of the epithelium height on slide 1 tubulus 1 at 

40x40 magnification resulting three values as follows: 86,3 µm; 139,3 

µm; 77,3 µm. 
 

 

The results of this study were data of the height of 

tubular epithelium seminiferous testis of mice (Mus 

muculus). From the measurement of eighty-one of 

measurement of the tubulus seminiferous epithelium, the 

average of the height of the tubulus seminiferous tubule 

epithelium was 105.6 μm. 

 

 

CONCLUSION 
 

The optimization of binoculer microscopy with optilab 

advance can be done to measure diameter of the tubulus 

seminiferous. The height of epithelium of tubulus 

seminiferous in this study was 105.6 μm 

 

 

REFERENCES 
 
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	Optimization of Binocular Microscope with Micro Digital Camera for Measuring Seminiferous Tubules Epithelium Height