Techniques in Scanning Microscopy

Significant advances in scientific research often follow the introduction of novel technologies. It is abundantly clear that the commercial introduction of the confocal laser scanning microscope in the late 1980s led to major breakthroughs in our understanding of cell and tissue biology. The device overcame a number of limitations common to standard light microscopy, allowing the noninvasive collection of very thin, high resolution optical sections. These sections could be used to digitally reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of the sample, providing information that was not obtainable by other methods.

Likewise, the appearance of two-photon scanning microscopy in the late 1990s has had a dramatic impact on the biological sciences, offering improved resolution, increased tissue penetration and the ability to visualize in vitro processes in tissue without damaging the sample.