BIO 3153 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Confocal Microscopy, Inverted Microscope, Optical Microscope
Document Summary
Used for live or fixed cells and tissue. Little detail - can see membrane: phase-contrast. Converts phase differences into changes in brightness. Wave properties of light can be exploited. In unstained cells, a phase shift will occur as light travels through the cell. Waves change when going through cell rather than not. Phase alignment is related to increased brightness. Observable with phase contrast: differential interference contrast (dic) Looks almost 3d - can see detail in nucleus: dark field. Lateral light source shows only scattered light. Move the light source so light hits the specimen from different angles to highlight different parts of it. Light hits the specimen and bounces off returning to a detector, rather than going through a specimen. Useful for detection of specific molecules or ions. A specific wavelength of light excites these specific molecules. Filters are used to create these specific wavelengths.
