Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026

09:49
Micron-scale Resolution Optical Tomography of Entire Mouse Brains with Confocal Light Sheet Microscopy
Published on: October 8, 2013
Scanning light-sheet microscopy in the whole mouse brain with HiLo background rejection
1Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. jmertz@bu.edu
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|March 10, 2010
Summary
We developed HiLo microscopy to improve light-sheet imaging by rejecting out-of-focus light. This technique enhances optical sectioning for clearer imaging of large biological samples like whole mouse brains.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical optics
- Microscopy techniques
- Optical imaging
Background:
- Light-sheet microscopy enables wide-field imaging of macroscopic samples.
- Sample scattering and aberrations degrade optical sectioning in light-sheet macroscopy.
- Enhanced optical sectioning is crucial for detailed imaging of large biological specimens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the optical sectioning capacity of scanning light-sheet microscopy.
- To overcome limitations caused by sample-induced scattering and aberrations.
- To improve image clarity for macroscopic samples.
Main Methods:
- Developed HiLo microscopy, a technique for out-of-focus background rejection.
- Acquired sequential images using uniform and structured light-sheet illumination.
- Synthesized optically sectioned images by fusing high and low spatial frequency information.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated enhanced optical sectioning in light-sheet macroscopy.
- Successfully applied the technique to optically cleared whole mouse brain samples.
- Achieved improved contrast using both GFP-fluorescence and dark-field scattered light.
Conclusions:
- HiLo microscopy effectively enhances optical sectioning in scanning light-sheet microscopes.
- The technique significantly improves image quality by rejecting background noise.
- This method is valuable for imaging large, scattering biological samples with high clarity.

