Types of permanent prepared microscope slides are described by standard abbreviations. Here is a list of the most commonly used abbreviations and their meanings:
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|
wm |
Whole mount (entire specimen or organism) |
|
st |
Stained |
|
ls |
Longitudinal section |
|
cs |
Cross-section |
|
sec |
Section |
|
sm |
Smear |
|
sq |
Squashed preparation |
Updated 12/18/13