Principles and practices of laser scanning confocal microscopy

• Published in: Molecular biotechnology Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 127 - 149
• Main Author: PADDOCK, Stephen W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Totowa, NJ Humana Press 01.10.2000; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Butterflies; Cell Nucleus - ultrastructure; Drosophila - embryology; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Fluorescent Dyes - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Lasers; Microscopy; Microscopy, Confocal - instrumentation; Microscopy, Confocal - methods; Molecular biophysics; Principles; Software; Specimen preparation; Spectroscopy : techniques and spectras; Studies; Time Factors; Wings, Animal - ultrastructure; Laser scanning confocal microscopie; Scanning microscope; Technology; Imaging; Confocal microscopy; Review; Application
• ISSN: 1073-6085; 1559-0305; 1073-6085
• DOI: 10.1385/mb:16:2:127

The laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) is an essential tool for many biomedical imaging applications at the level of the light microscope. The basic principles of confocal microscopy and the evolution of the LSCM into today's sophisticated instruments are outlined. The major imaging modes of the LSCM are introduced including single optical sections, multiple wavelength images, three-dimensional reconstructions, and living cell and tissue sequences. Practical aspects of specimen preparation, image collection, and image presentation are included along with a primer on troubleshooting the LSCM for the novice.