UNIT 14.11 Basic Confocal Microscopy

This unit introduces the reader to the basic principles of confocal microscopy and the design and capabilities of current confocal microscopes. The advantages and disadvantages of confocal microscopy compared to other techniques for fluorescence imaging are described. There are also practical guidelines for sample preparation and optimization of imaging parameters, as well as examples of some of the applications of confocal microscopy. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 81:14.11.1-14.11.18. © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Keywords: confocal microscopy; fluorescence; imaging; resolution; three-dimensional reconstruction