At the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) in Philadelphia, PA, USA, from December 6 to 10, 2014, Leica Microsystems offers visitors a preview of its latest development: a light sheet module as an optional add-on to the Leica TCS SP8 confocal microscope for the observation of developing organisms in real time and 3D. The synergy of light sheet and confocal microscopy opens novel fields of application.
Light sheet microscopy is a gentle method of imaging light-sensitive samples or fast biological processes in whole organisms, because the specimen is illuminated in a single plane, which reduces phototoxic effects and protects the sample. By moving the sample along this plane, imaging of three-dimensional structures is possible. A high-speed camera allows the imaging of fast cellular processes. Light sheet microscopy is ideal for applications in developmental biology.
Light sheet microscopy usually requires a dedicated optical setup on a ...
