Phase Imaging Microscopy: Beyond Dark-Field, Phase Contrast, and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Biomedical applications aimed toward understanding livecell dynamics have rekindled an interest in optical microscope modes that may provide additional information beyond the widely used ¦uorescence modalities that include confocal, structured illumination microscopy, multiphoton, and STED imaging. ™e three microscope modes discussed in this chapter-dark-›eld, phase contrast, and dižerential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy-are techniques that readily address the challenges of live-cell imaging. ™eir ability to image cell structure dynamics without having to introduce any chemical probes or dyes can be of great advantage in ensuring that cell function is not being altered. In addition, the ability to observe living cells over time, without introducing the potentially damaging ežects of high-intensity light sources, ožered by these techniques is o²en desirable for many biological investigations.