UCSF

Light microscopes can visualize structures down to 200 nm (or sometimes less) and are therefore the tool of choice to visualize cells, the basic unit of life. No longer do researchers peer through the microscope’s eyepieces and document their findings through drawings or on film, rather, digital image acquisition and motorized control of the microscope play a key role. Modern light microscopes capture data on digital detectors and are often fully automated, providing computer control of fluorescence excitation and detection and sample positioning. This makes it possible to automatically acquire multi-color three-dimensional time-lapse movies. Moreover, accurate, sensitive detectors enable quantification of microscope images and are a key component of various strategies to improve the spatial and temporal resolution of the microscope. Here, we review modern biological light microscopes, discuss their components, and describe how these tools are utilized experimentally.