scanning optical microscopy


scanning optical microscopy

A method of light microscopy in which the object, often a block of wet or dry tissue, is illuminated with a scanned laser beam in such a way as to bring a narrow plane into focus while leaving the remainder out of focus. Serial observations, with photographs, of different planes can be made so that cutting sections is unnecessary. A three-dimensional image can be built up. The sites of binding of fluorescence-labelled antibodies can be determined with great accuracy.