Fluorescence Techniques In Cell Biology

.For there to be progress in science, there must first be communication between experts of different disciplines. This is particularly true of modern biology which is becoming more and more of an interdisciplinary field. The present situation in cell biology clearly reflects this devel opment and demonstrates that the application of physical techniques was necessary before this field of biological research could be developed on an objective and quantitative basis. The utilization of optical phenomena as measuring parameters at the microscopic level has provided the basis for the development of quantitative cytochemistry. This rapidly growing extension of conventional cytochemistry and histochemistry is based on the visual oberservation of qualitative chemical criteria in correlation with the microscopically resolved structure of cells and tissues. Furthermore, the introduction into cytochemistry of such optical measuring techniques as ab sorption photometry, interferometry, and fluorometry, as well as the measurement of optical anisotropy, diffrac:tion and scattered light, has provided the methodological bridge for the ex change of knowledge between cell biology on the one hand and biochemistry, or molecular biology, on the other.

Fluorescence Microscopy is a precise and widely employed technique in many research and clinical areas nowadays. Fluorescence Microscopy In Life Sciences introduces readers to both the fundamentals and the applications of fluorescence microscopy in the biomedical field as well as biological research. Readers will learn about physical and chemical mechanisms giving rise to the phenomenon of luminescence and fluorescence in a comprehensive way. Also, the different processes that modulate fluorescence efficiency and fluorescence features are explored and explained.

The previous edition of this book marked the shift in technology from video to digital camera use with microscope use in biological science. This new edition presents some of the optical fundamentals needed to provide a quality image to the digital camera. Specifically, it covers the fundamental geometric optics of finite- and infinity-corrected microscopes, develops the concepts of physical optics and Abbe’s theory of image formation, presents the principles of Kohler illumination, and finally reviews the fundamentals of fluorescence and fluorescence microscopy. The second group of chapters deals with digital and video fundamentals: how digital and video cameras work, how to coordinate cameras with microscopes, how to deal with digital data, the fundamentals of image processing, and low light level cameras. The third group of chapters address some specialized areas of microscopy that allow sophisticated measurements of events in living cells that are below the optical limits of resolution. Expands coverage to include discussion of confocal microscopy not found in the previous edition Includes "traps and pitfalls" as well as laboratory exercises to help illustrate methods

Fluorescence Microscopy of Living Cells in Culture, Part A

Fluorescence microscopy images can be easily integrated into current video and computer image processing systems. People like visual observation; they like to watch a television or computer screen, and fluorescence techniques are thus becoming more and more popular. Since true in vivo experiments are simple to perform, samples can be directly seen and there is always the possibility of manipulating the samples during the experiments; it is an ideal technique for biology and medicine. Images are obtained by a classical (now called wide-field) fluorescence microscope, a confocal scanning microscope, upright or inverted, with epifluorescence or transmission. Computerized image processing may improve definition, and remove glare and scattered light signal. It also makes it possible to compute ratio images (ratio imaging both in excitation and in emission) or lifetime imaging. Image analysis programs may supply a great deal of additional data of various types, starting with calculations of the number of fluorescent objects, their shapes, brightness, etc. Fluorescence microscopy data may be complemented by classical measurement in the cuvette yr by flow cytometry.

With contributions by numerous experts

Volume 3 of this new series focuses on brandnew research and applications in biology, biophysics and other fields of life sciences. Many frontline researcher have contributed to this highly attractive and interdisciplinary volume which spans the entire field of present fluorescence spectroscopy including nanotechnology, membrane and DNA studies and fluorescence imaging in cancer research.

An intriguing and informative guide for cell biologists, cytopathologists, physiologists, cellular biochemists and molecular biologists, this volume provides an up-to-date, representative sample of the latest developments in the area of noninvasive measurements of biological processes at the cellular level. Reviews the latest approaches and techniques for probing a variety of dynamic cellular processes with a minimum of structural or chemical invasion. Topics discussed include: design of novel optical probes, emerging technologies for imaging subcellular processes with high temporal and spatial resolution, the application of noninvasive optical techniques to manipulate cells and subcellular organelles within intact cells.