ABSTRACT
Optical microscopy is a standard technique in biology and medicine because it is convenient and easy to use and allows rapid assessment of problems at an early stage. Ability to view the sample is very important; all techniques other than optical microscopy must devise “tricks” to visualize sample information content. Samples ranging from tissue to single cells like bacteria can be investigated in a wide variety of environments, temperatures, and pressures. Sample preparation is straightforward and depends primarily on what information is desired. Because investigation is typically noninvasive, samples are not destroyed and can be reused in other applications.
