Interference microscopy in cell biophysics. 1. Principles and methodological aspects of coherent phase microscopy
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Quantitative Optical Microscopy: Measurement of Cellular Biophysical Features with a Standard Optical Microscope
Published on: April 7, 2014
Vladimir P Tychinsky1, Alexander N Tikhonov
1Moscow State Institute for Radioengineering, Electronics and Automation, prosp. Vernadskogo 78, Moscow, Russia. vtych@yandex.ru
Abstract:
The purpose of our tandem publications is to review the applications of the coherent phase microscopy to cell biophysics. In this article, we briefly consider the fundamentals and methodological aspects of the coherent phase microscopy (CPM). One of important advantages of this method is a high sensitivity of CPM images to changes in physical-chemical properties of biological samples. The optical path length difference (OPLD), measured with CPM instruments in different domains of an object, serves as the informative optical parameter used for visualization of individual cells or intracellular organelles. Metabolically dependent variations of CPM images reflect changes in the functional state of biological objects. In the next article, we review results of CPM studies of different cells and intracellular energy-transducing organelles.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
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...
Three-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology
Interference and Diffraction
Two-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology
Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
Overview of Microscopy Techniques

