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

7.1K
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...
7.1K
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy01:37

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

8.6K
Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been...
8.6K
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy01:26

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

11.0K
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...
11.0K
Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy01:16

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

15.5K
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,...
15.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A red-emitting, genetically encoded indicator for two-photon voltage recording in vivo.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Canine Halitosis Improved With a Postbiotic: A Validation Study.

Journal of veterinary dentistry·2026
Same author

Electrically switchable continuous phase liquid crystal Fresnel zone plate.

Light, science & applications·2026
Same author

A Postbiotic Positively Shifts the Canine Oral Microbiome.

Journal of veterinary dentistry·2026
Same author

Designer indicators for two-photon recording of subthreshold voltage dynamics.

Nature methods·2026
Same author

Adaptive optical correction for in vivo two-photon fluorescence microscopy with neural fields.

Nature methods·2026
Same journal

Ptychography at all wavelengths.

Nature reviews. Methods primers·2026
Same journal

Droplet-based bioprinting.

Nature reviews. Methods primers·2026
Same journal

Laser capture microdissection.

Nature reviews. Methods primers·2026
Same journal

Extracellular vesicle analysis.

Nature reviews. Methods primers·2026
Same journal

In vivo microelectrode arrays for neuroscience.

Nature reviews. Methods primers·2026
Same journal

Light-based vat-polymerization bioprinting.

Nature reviews. Methods primers·2025
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 1, 2025

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO
10:35

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO

Published on: February 12, 2013

19.6K

Adaptive optics for high-resolution imaging.

Karen M Hampson1, Raphaël Turcotte1,2, Donald T Miller3

  • 1Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Nature Reviews. Methods Primers
|March 7, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Adaptive optics (AO) corrects optical aberrations for clearer images. This technology enhances imaging in astronomy, vision science, and microscopy, enabling cellular-level insights and breakthroughs.

More Related Videos

Highly Resolved Intravital Striped-illumination Microscopy of Germinal Centers
10:07

Highly Resolved Intravital Striped-illumination Microscopy of Germinal Centers

Published on: April 9, 2014

10.2K
Multimodal Volumetric Retinal Imaging by Oblique Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy oSLO and Optical Coherence Tomography OCT
12:22

Multimodal Volumetric Retinal Imaging by Oblique Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy oSLO and Optical Coherence Tomography OCT

Published on: August 4, 2018

8.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 1, 2025

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO
10:35

Bringing the Visible Universe into Focus with Robo-AO

Published on: February 12, 2013

19.6K
Highly Resolved Intravital Striped-illumination Microscopy of Germinal Centers
10:07

Highly Resolved Intravital Striped-illumination Microscopy of Germinal Centers

Published on: April 9, 2014

10.2K
Multimodal Volumetric Retinal Imaging by Oblique Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy oSLO and Optical Coherence Tomography OCT
12:22

Multimodal Volumetric Retinal Imaging by Oblique Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy oSLO and Optical Coherence Tomography OCT

Published on: August 4, 2018

8.6K

Area of Science:

  • Optics and Photonics
  • Biomedical Imaging
  • Astronomy

Background:

  • Adaptive optics (AO) corrects optical aberrations, initially for astronomical telescopes.
  • AO's application in vision science allows cellular-level retinal imaging and ocular health assessment.
  • In microscopy, AO overcomes blur in thick specimens, advancing neuroscience imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a primer on adaptive optics (AO) principles and applications.
  • To highlight AO's impact on high-resolution imaging in astronomy, vision science, and microscopy.
  • To discuss the components, results, limitations, and future directions of AO.

Main Methods:

  • Overview of AO principles and key components (aberration measurement, correction devices).
  • Integration of measurement and correction components in AO systems.
  • Presentation of results and applications across different scientific fields.

Main Results:

  • AO enables Nobel prize-winning astronomical discoveries by correcting atmospheric turbulence.
  • Cellular-level retinal imaging is achieved with AO for vision science research.
  • High-resolution imaging of neuronal processes in thick brain tissue is facilitated by AO microscopy.

Conclusions:

  • Adaptive optics is a transformative technology for high-resolution imaging across diverse scientific disciplines.
  • AO's ability to correct aberrations enhances capabilities in astronomy, vision science, and microscopy.
  • Continued development of AO promises further advancements in scientific discovery and understanding.