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Related Concept Videos

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy01:26

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
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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,...

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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Lens-free Video Microscopy for the Dynamic and Quantitative Analysis of Adherent Cell Culture
09:04

Lens-free Video Microscopy for the Dynamic and Quantitative Analysis of Adherent Cell Culture

Published on: February 23, 2018

Live cell refractometry using Hilbert phase microscopy and confocal reflectance microscopy.

Niyom Lue1, Wonshik Choi, Gabriel Popescu

  • 1G. R. Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. A
|October 7, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a new method for measuring the refractive index of live cells, offering insights into cellular metabolism. This technique provides accurate, label-free analysis of cells in their natural state.

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Area of Science:

  • Quantitative chemical analysis
  • Cellular metabolism
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Refractive index is a key indicator of molecular concentration and biological activity in cells.
  • Existing methods for analyzing cellular properties often require labeling or disrupt native states.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and present a novel method for extracting full-field refractive index maps of live cells.
  • To enable label-free, in situ analysis of cellular properties.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Hilbert phase microscopy to record full-field optical thickness maps.
  • Employed a custom-built confocal reflectance microscope to acquire physical thickness maps.
  • Calculated refractive index maps from the ratio of optical thickness to physical thickness.

Main Results:

  • Successfully generated full-field and axially averaged refractive index maps for live cells.
  • Achieved a high accuracy of 0.002 for axially averaged refractive index measurements.
  • Demonstrated a label-free approach for analyzing cells in their native state.

Conclusions:

  • The presented method provides accurate refractive index mapping of live cells.
  • This technique facilitates novel biological assays for label-free living cells in situ.
  • Offers a valuable tool for understanding cellular metabolism and biological activities.