"Optical sectioning" is a method of capturing clear and detailed images of objects by focusing on a specific depth within them. It allows us to see inside an object or tissue layer by layer, similar to slicing it without physically cutting it.
Full definition
Confocal microscopy uses a single point of light, usually a laser beam, to scan a sample into a series
of optical sections, building up each image pixel by pixel.
In addition to excellent light - / ion - and electron microscopes, ZEISS also manufactures a diverse range of
fluorescence optical sectioning systems as well as high - resolution x-ray microscopes.
These samples do not necessarily
require optical sectioning, but open the door to a number of other techniques that can improve contrast and resolution due to the lack of a requirement for high temporal imaging speeds.
The system generates an optical lattice to create an ultra-thin light sheet to image with unparalleled
optical sectioning at extremely low photo - dosage and phototoxicity.
Confocal images show that hemocytes clearly locate and capture invading E. coli (Video S1) and
optical sections collected at different focal planes through one hemocyte show labelled bacteria within the cytoplasm of the phagocyte (Figure 1D, E and F).
From whole brain to embryo imaging at cellular resolution Alpha3 delivers high speed imaging with ultra
thin optical sectioning.
In consequence, only a thin volume of the specimen is exposed to the laser light, which provides
true optical sectioning.
This system provides three -
dimensional optical sectioning similar to that produced by a confocal, but because it uses a long wavelength laser it is less damaging and can penetrate up to half a millimeter into tissue.
In sufficiently thin samples, deconvolution can
outperform optical sectioning techniques due to a higher photon flux via the more efficient camera detector and lack of a light - reducing pinhole.
Based on a confocal optical system, Olympus super resolution technology
enables optical sectioning to acquire clear super resolution images with reduced background.
Finally, modern microscope designs may further exploit the unique characteristics of fluorophores to block out of focus fluorescence from reaching a detector or restricting fluorescence to specific excitation volumes to enhance spatial contrast (
i.e. optical sectioning (2) or super-resolution (3).
Modern light sheet fluorescence microscopy was first pioneered by Voie and colleagues and originally named orthogonal - plane
fluorescence optical sectioning (OPFOS)(2).
Lightsheet microscopes that project ultra-thin sheets of excitation light through multiple focal planes of a sample may also be useful for providing fast imaging along
with optical sectioning (5).
a set of image processing, modeling and display programs used for tomographic reconstruction and for 3D reconstruction of EM serial sections and
optical sections.
Each signal was acquired using separate tracts with the appropriate laser - filter settings to avoid bleed - through of signals, and the pinhole was set so that
optical sections were less than 0.7 μm thick.
In confocal microscopes,
optical sectioning of a specimen is based on discriminating the out - of - focus reflected light by using a pinhole.
Thsee are some of the most challenging samples to image as they require
both optical sectioning, imaging over large distances and high temporal resolution.
Essentially,
an optical section is achieved that boosts contrast by filtering out emission light from fluorophores higher in the sample.
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Optical sections» or «Z Stacks» of samples can be obtained on confocal microscopes.