ABSTRACT
Confocal microscopy is an ingenious method for detection of uorescence. is microscope allows a specimen to be optically sectioned into many focal planes and this improves the resolution o f t he re sulting m icrograph a nd a ids t he re searcher i n determining the spatial localization of a given protein within a tissue or cell. e confocal microscope utilizes la ser technology for t hese scanning a nd uorescence excitation functions. In this chapter, the laser technology will be described rst followed by the role of lasers in the confocal microscope. Next the mechanism of action of this microscope will be outlined, followed by a discussion of biological techniques that utilize uorescent microscopy.
