3.1 Microscopy Part 2 Flashcards
What are phase contrast microscopes?
microscopes that are able to visualize certain structures that would other wise be invisible under brightfield microscopes
What is the main benefit of phase contrast microscopes?
they can provide detailed images of live cells without staining
What are some things that can be visualized with phase contrast microscopes?
cell movements/motility
What can dark field microscopes be used for?
greatly increases the contrast between a specimen and background
What is the resulting image of a dark field microscopes?
dark background with bright objects
How does light work in a dark field microscopes?
reflects light off of the specimen at an angle
What is NOT visible with a dark field microscopes?
intracellular structures
What is a fluorescence microscope?
uses fluorescent molecules known as fluorophores to visualize cells on a dark background
What is the light source for a fluorescence microscope?
UV light
What is the benefit of the UV light used in a fluorescence microscope?
UV light will excite different fluorophores at varying wavelengths allowing scientists to use a wide array of colors during imaging
What are the important fluorescent proteins used in fluorescent microscopes?
green
yellow
red
What is a confocal laser scanning microscope?
combines fluorescence microscopy with the ability to visualize cells in 3D
What is the light source for confocal microscopes?
lasers
What can the laser do in confocal microscopes?
focus on a single plane within an object with a high degree of accuracy
What is the process for a confocal microscopes to make a 3D image?
sequential process where one image is taken and then the laser moves to another plane and this is repeated
