Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy01:16

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Confocal microscopy is an advanced microscopic technique. The prime advantage of the confocal microscope over other microscopy techniques is its ability to block the out-of-focus light from the illuminated samples using pinholes. It is widely used with fluorescence optics to obtain high-resolution, sharp contrast images. Unlike optical microscopes, confocal microscopes use a focused beam of light laser to scan the entire sample surface at different z-planes. These microscopes are, therefore,...
Three-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology01:28

Three-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology

Three-dimensional imaging techniques are essential in cell biology, allowing researchers to visualize intricate cellular structures with high resolution. Two prominent methods, Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy (DIC) and Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy (CSLM), provide distinct advantages for imaging live and thick specimens, respectively.Differential Interference Contrast MicroscopyDIC microscopy enhances contrast in transparent, unstained samples by converting phase...
Fixation and Sectioning01:03

Fixation and Sectioning

Two basic types of preparation are used to visualize specimens with a light microscope: wet mounts and fixed specimens.
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...
Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy01:18

Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy

Optical microscopy uses optic principles to provide detailed images of samples. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek designed the first compound optical microscope in the 17th century to visualize blood cells, bacteria, and yeast cells. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes with enhanced magnification and resolution.
In optical microscopy, the specimen to be viewed is placed on a glass slide and clipped on the stage...
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy01:37

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Differential Elasticity Affects Lineage Segregation of Embryonic Stem Cells.

Physical review letters·2025
Same author

Extracting, quantifying, and comparing dynamical and biomechanical properties of living matter through single particle tracking.

Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP·2022
Same author

Temperature Controls Onset and Period of NF-<i>κ</i>B Oscillations and can Lead to Chaotic Dynamics.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology·2022
Same author

Thermoplasmonic nano-rupture of cells reveals annexin V function in plasma membrane repair.

Nanoscale·2022
Same author

Foregut organ progenitors and their niche display distinct viscoelastic properties in vivo during early morphogenesis stages.

Communications biology·2022
Same author

Changes in Cell Morphology and Actin Organization in Embryonic Stem Cells Cultured under Different Conditions.

Cells·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
08:04

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

Confocal microscopy of thick specimens.

S Nadar S Reihani, Lene B Oddershede

    Journal of Biomedical Optics
    |July 2, 2009
    PubMed
    Summary

    Confocal microscopy can now image deeper into biological samples by correcting spherical aberrations. This technique significantly improves resolution and localization precision for deeper structures.

    Area of Science:

    • Optical microscopy
    • Biophysical imaging
    • Subcellular structural analysis

    Background:

    • Confocal microscopy provides structural insights into biological samples.
    • Spherical aberrations limit imaging depth and resolution in laser pathways.
    • Current confocal microscopes typically image up to 40 micrometers deep.

    Discussion:

    • Optimizing immersion media refractive index corrects visible light spherical aberrations.
    • Adjusting tube length or objective correction (infinite/finite) also corrects aberrations.
    • Combining these methods enables continuous depth confocal imaging.

    Key Insights:

    • Achieved imaging depths up to 100 micrometers, exceeding the typical 40 micrometer limit.
    • Significantly improved axial localization precision for single fluorophores, even deep within samples.

    More Related Videos

    High-plex Imaging using Spectral Confocal Microscopy to Minimize Non-specific Tissue Fluorescence
    10:28

    High-plex Imaging using Spectral Confocal Microscopy to Minimize Non-specific Tissue Fluorescence

    Published on: October 28, 2025

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jun 22, 2026

    Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
    08:04

    Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

    Published on: March 12, 2017

    High-plex Imaging using Spectral Confocal Microscopy to Minimize Non-specific Tissue Fluorescence
    10:28

    High-plex Imaging using Spectral Confocal Microscopy to Minimize Non-specific Tissue Fluorescence

    Published on: October 28, 2025

  • Demonstrated a method applicable to enhance any visible light microscopy technique.

    • Outlook:

    • Potential for deeper tissue imaging in biological research.
    • Enhanced precision for super-resolution microscopy applications.
    • Broader applicability across various light microscopy platforms.