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

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...
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,...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
Two-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology01:29

Two-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology

Two-dimensional (2D) microscopy encompasses a range of optical techniques that capture images within a single focal plane, offering detailed representations of microscopic structures. These techniques are essential in biological and medical research, enabling the visualization of cellular and subcellular structures with different levels of contrast and specificity.There are several major types of 2D microscopy, each with strengths and applications.Bright-Field MicroscopyBright-field microscopy...
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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

PhotoFiTT: a quantitative framework for assessing phototoxicity in live-cell microscopy experiments.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Nano-org, a functional resource for single-molecule localisation microscopy data.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

CLEM-Reg: an automated point cloud-based registration algorithm for volume correlative light and electron microscopy.

Nature methods·2025
Same author

Expansion and fluctuations-enhanced microscopy for nanoscale molecular profiling of cells and tissues.

Nature protocols·2025
Same author

Structural Repetition Detector for multi-scale quantitative mapping of molecular complexes through microscopy.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

The nucleoid of rapidly growing Escherichia coli localizes close to the inner membrane and is organized by transcription, translation, and cell geometry.

Nature communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Quantitative Optical Microscopy: Measurement of Cellular Biophysical Features with a Standard Optical Microscope
14:09

Quantitative Optical Microscopy: Measurement of Cellular Biophysical Features with a Standard Optical Microscope

Published on: April 7, 2014

The Field Guide to 3D Printing in Optical Microscopy for Life Sciences.

Mario Del Rosario1, Hannah S Heil1, Afonso Mendes1

  • 1Optical Cell Biology, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, 2780-156, Portugal.

Advanced Biology
|October 25, 2021
PubMed
Summary

3D printing revolutionizes optical microscopy in life sciences by enabling accessible, low-cost fabrication of custom microscope designs and accessories. This additive manufacturing approach fosters innovation and democratizes technology for researchers worldwide.

Keywords:
3D printingmicroscopyopen-sourcesopticssuper-resolution

More Related Videos

Single Plane Illumination Module and Micro-capillary Approach for a Wide-field Microscope
08:53

Single Plane Illumination Module and Micro-capillary Approach for a Wide-field Microscope

Published on: August 16, 2014

A Guide to Build a Highly Inclined Swept Tile Microscope for Extended Field-of-view Single-molecule Imaging
08:13

A Guide to Build a Highly Inclined Swept Tile Microscope for Extended Field-of-view Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: April 8, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Quantitative Optical Microscopy: Measurement of Cellular Biophysical Features with a Standard Optical Microscope
14:09

Quantitative Optical Microscopy: Measurement of Cellular Biophysical Features with a Standard Optical Microscope

Published on: April 7, 2014

Single Plane Illumination Module and Micro-capillary Approach for a Wide-field Microscope
08:53

Single Plane Illumination Module and Micro-capillary Approach for a Wide-field Microscope

Published on: August 16, 2014

A Guide to Build a Highly Inclined Swept Tile Microscope for Extended Field-of-view Single-molecule Imaging
08:13

A Guide to Build a Highly Inclined Swept Tile Microscope for Extended Field-of-view Single-molecule Imaging

Published on: April 8, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Optical Microscopy
  • Life Sciences
  • Additive Manufacturing

Background:

  • The maker movement integrates accessible fabrication technologies into scientific research.
  • 3D printing offers disruptive potential for creating and modifying optical microscopy tools.
  • Additive manufacturing enhances accessibility and productivity in scientific prototyping.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the applications of additive manufacturing in optical microscopy for life sciences.
  • To guide researchers in utilizing 3D printing for microscopy innovation.
  • To highlight the democratization of technology through open-access 3D designs.

Main Methods:

  • Review of additive manufacturing techniques in optical microscopy.
  • Analysis of case studies like FlyPi and OpenFlexure.
  • Exploration of 3D design sharing and collaborative environments.

Main Results:

  • 3D printing enables rapid, low-cost prototyping of microscope components and systems.
  • Diverse applications range from educational tools to complex robotic microscopes.
  • Additive manufacturing significantly improves accessibility to advanced fabrication.

Conclusions:

  • 3D printing is a versatile tool empowering researchers in optical microscopy.
  • It promotes open-access principles, extending from knowledge to technology.
  • This technology fosters collaboration and democratizes scientific instrumentation.