Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy or TIRF is an advanced microscopic technique used to visualize fluorophores in samples close to a solid surface with a higher refractive index, such as a glass coverslip. TIRF only allows fluorophores in proximity to the solid surface to be excited. When light from a medium with a lower refractive index (such as air) hits the glass coverslip at a critical angle, the light undergoes total internal reflection stead of passing through the glass.

Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy: Overview

Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy: Overview

Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) infrared spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique used to study the composition of materials. It is widely employed in chemistry, materials science, forensic science, and other fields where sample characterization is required. ATR has several advantages over traditional transmission IR spectroscopy, including the requirement of little to no sample preparation and the ability to analyze a wide range of samples.
The ATR process begins by directing a beam...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Enhanced good practice for core facilities.

Journal of microscopy·2026

Same author

A role for core facilities in improving research rigour.

Journal of microscopy·2026

Same author

Core facilities coming of age.

Journal of microscopy·2024

Same author

Strategies for selecting and managing equipment in a light microscopy facility.

Journal of microscopy·2024

Same author

Actomyosin-Mediated Cellular Tension Drives Increased Tissue Stiffness and β-Catenin Activation to Induce Epidermal Hyperplasia and Tumor Growth.

Cancer cell·2024

Same author

Chromatin accessibility profiling of targeted cell populations with laser capture microdissection coupled to ATAC-seq.

Cell reports methods·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers

Published on: October 31, 2015

Characterizing system performance in total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.

Juliane P Schwarz¹, Ireen König, Kurt I Anderson

¹The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, UK.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|July 13, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

We developed a standard test sample for total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRF-M). This sample helps characterize and optimize TIRF-M system performance for studying cell cortex events.

More Related Videos

High Precision FRET at Single-molecule Level for Biomolecule Structure Determination

High Precision FRET at Single-molecule Level for Biomolecule Structure Determination

Published on: May 13, 2017

Oligomerization Dynamics of Cell Surface Receptors in Living Cells by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy Combined with Number and Brightness Analysis

Oligomerization Dynamics of Cell Surface Receptors in Living Cells by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy Combined with Number and Brightness Analysis

Published on: November 6, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers

Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers

Published on: October 31, 2015

High Precision FRET at Single-molecule Level for Biomolecule Structure Determination

High Precision FRET at Single-molecule Level for Biomolecule Structure Determination

Published on: May 13, 2017

Oligomerization Dynamics of Cell Surface Receptors in Living Cells by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy Combined with Number and Brightness Analysis

Oligomerization Dynamics of Cell Surface Receptors in Living Cells by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy Combined with Number and Brightness Analysis

Published on: November 6, 2019

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Microscopy

Background:

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRF-M) is crucial for studying cellular events near the cell cortex.
TIRF-M provides high contrast imaging of dim cortical structures against cytoplasmic background.
Standardized samples are essential for calibrating and monitoring imaging system performance.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and present a standardized test sample for TIRF-M.
To enable characterization and optimization of TIRF system performance.

Main Methods:

Detailed procedures for producing a novel test sample are described.
The application of this test sample for TIRF system evaluation is outlined.

Main Results:

The study provides a method for creating a reliable test sample.
The sample facilitates the assessment of TIRF system alignment and performance.

Conclusions:

The developed test sample is a valuable tool for TIRF-M users.
Consistent use of this sample will improve the reliability and reproducibility of TIRF-M experiments.