Microscopy Field Notes
A blog created to help life science researchers navigate the inspiring world of optical microscopy
An Important Yet Neglected Presence: Autofluorescence
Some biological samples exhibit naturally occurring fluorescence, even in the absence of applied labels. This type of fluorescence is known as autofluorescence, and arises from naturally-occuring fluorophores such as collagen, lipofuscin, and flavins (just to name a...
Twice the Challenge, but Double the Opportunity
High-speed multiphoton (MP) imaging is often used to visualize dynamic changes in live tissue or cellular preparations. For neuroscience applications, electrophysiology often is combined with imaging, and allows for the simultaneous acquisition and/or control of...
Mind your Q’s: Quantifying image quality
It is useful to have quantitative measures of image quality, so that you can systematically determine the effect of changing different imaging conditions on experiment results. In the last post we showed that averaging can improve image quality when carrying out...
Unraveling Noise
In our previous blog post we discussed resonant and polygonal mirror scanning systems. These scanning systems are designed for high-speed imaging, and can achieve short pixel dwell times compared to conventional galvanometer mirrors. While short pixel dwell times...
Speed Running Your Sample: Faster Laser Scanning in Confocal and Multiphoton Microscopes
In our previous post, we discussed galvo scanning systems used in laser scanning confocal and multiphoton microscopes. Galvo scanning is standard, yet for some applications, such as live-cell and large-format image acquisitions, systems that offer increased...
Connecting the Dots: Laser Scanning in Confocal and Multiphoton Microscopes
Taking the time to understand the inner workings of an imaging system can help you design more robust experiments and acquire higher-quality data. It can also help you trouble-shoot when a system is not performing as expected. Over the next few posts, we will...