Fluorescence microscope

A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence and phosphorescence to study organic or inorganic substances. "Fluorescence microscope" means any microscope that uses fluorescence to make a picture. This applies whether it is a more simple set up or a more complicated design.

Schematic of a fluorescence microscope.

Most fluorescence microscopes, especially those used in the life sciences, are of the epifluorescence design shown in the diagram. Light of the excitation wavelength illuminates the specimen through the objective lens. The fluorescence emitted by the specimen is focused onto the detector. The dichroic beamsplitter acts as a wavelength specific filter, transmitting fluoresced light through to the eyepiece or detector, but reflecting any remaining excitation light back towards the source.

Fluorescence Microscope Media

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  An upright fluorescence microscope (Olympus BX61) with the fluorescence filter cube turret above the objective lenses, coupled with a digital camera

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  Fluorescence and confocal microscopes operating principle

• A z-projection of an osteosarcoma cell, stained with phalloidin to visualise actin filaments. The image was taken on a confocal microscope, and the subsequent deconvolution was done using an experimentally derived point spread function.

• Endothelial cells under the microscope. Nuclei are stained blue with DAPI, microtubules are marked green by an antibody bound to FITC and actin filaments are labeled red with phalloidin bound to TRITC. Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial (BPAE) cells

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  Human lymphocyte nucleus stained with DAPI with chromosome 13 (green) and 21 (red) centromere probes hybridized (Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH))