In a light microscope, visible light passes through the specimen and is bent through the lens system, allowing the user to see a magnified image. A benefit of light microscopy is that it can often be performed on living cells, so it’s possible to watch cells carrying out their normal behaviors under the microscope.
Student lab microscopes tend to be brightfield microscopes, meaning that visible light is passed through the sample and used to form an image directly, without any modifications. Slightly more sophisticated forms of light microscopy use optical tricks to enhance contrast, making details of cells and tissues easier to see.
Another type of light microscopy is fluorescence microscopy, which is used to image samples that fluoresce (absorb one wavelength of light and emit another). Light of one wavelength is used to excite the fluorescent molecules, and the light of a different wavelength that they emit is collected and used to form a picture. In most cases, the part of a cell or tissue that we want to look at isn’t naturally fluorescent, and instead must be labeled with a fluorescent dye or tag before it goes on the microscope.
Applications of Light Microscopy
Modular imaging solutions help suppliers and device manufacturers achieve fast and precise inspection and analysis for wafer processing, IC packaging, IC assembly, and testing. Proof of conformity to the defined specifications during semiconductor device manufacturing is critical for reliability. To demonstrate the expected levels for cleanliness and minimal presence of defects have been met to produce excellent quality semiconductor devices, accurate documentation is indispensable. However, the demand for the development of cutting-edge, higher-performance technology is unrelenting, thus, it is expected that these imaging systems contribute to R&D as well.
Modular imaging solutions help suppliers and device manufacturers achieve fast and precise inspection and analysis for wafer processing, IC packaging, IC assembly, and testing. Proof of conformity to the defined specifications during semiconductor device manufacturing is critical for reliability. To demonstrate the expected levels for cleanliness and minimal presence of defects have been met to produce excellent quality semiconductor devices, accurate documentation is indispensable. However, the demand for the development of cutting-edge, higher-performance technology is unrelenting, thus, it is expected that these imaging systems contribute to R&D as well.
Modular imaging solutions help suppliers and device manufacturers achieve fast and precise inspection and analysis for wafer processing, IC packaging, IC assembly, and testing. Proof of conformity to the defined specifications during semiconductor device manufacturing is critical for reliability. To demonstrate the expected levels for cleanliness and minimal presence of defects have been met to produce excellent quality semiconductor devices, accurate documentation is indispensable. However, the demand for the development of cutting-edge, higher-performance technology is unrelenting, thus, it is expected that these imaging systems contribute to R&D as well.
When your research is centered on understanding the cellular basis of human health and disease, it is critical to investigate the cells of interest in spatiotemporal and molecular detail. Consequently, microscopy is an ever-important tool in cell biology, allowing you to study your specimens in detail within their structural environment, as well as, analyze cellular organelles and macromolecules. Cell biology imaging is done with a range of light and electron microscopes.
The challenges faced when using microscopy for cell biology research vary, as the imaging of inter-and intra-cellular events requires a range of samples that vary in size and complexity. Imaging of these events needs to be performed from the nanometer to the millimeter scale.
Additionally, the study of cells under the microscope is further influenced by whether they are live or fixed samples, as these cases pose different imaging challenges. One challenge is how to capture fast dynamic events with the right resolution. Another one, for any cellular structures or events that do not produce a natural contrast during imaging, is choosing the right fluorescent proteins, antibodies, or nucleic acid probes to use as tags for specific proteins, DNAs, and RNAs in the cell to be viewed with fluorescence microscopy.
Analysis of specimens for pathology sometimes requires long hours working with a microscope. The result for the user may be physical discomfort and strain that can lead to reduced efficiency and the risk of less consistent analysis.
Pathologists can benefit from a solution that allows them to maintain a comfortable position having reduced strain while working with a microscope. Such a solution can help achieve improved efficiency for pathological diagnoses.
Anatomic pathology concerns the study of the effects of disease on the body and its organs. Two specific subfields of pathology which often require microscopic examination are:
- Cytopathology involving cells found in body fluids or acquired by scraping or aspiration
- Surgical pathology involving specimens taken during surgery or from biopsy
Related products
Leica Upright Light Microscopes
These powerful imaging systems feature constant color, natural light illumination, superior optics, and configurable options to provide high contrast, brilliant images for your biological research
Leica Inverted Light Microscopes
It offers the flexibility and power you need to advance your research and enable publication-quality documentation
