Amos, W.B., McConnell, G. & Wilson, T.
Confocal Microscopy (Chapter in Handbook of Comprehensive Biophysics)
Elsevier, in press July 2011
Amos, W.B. & White, J.G. (2003)
How the Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope entered
Biological Research.
Biol. Cell 95, 335-342.
Amos, W.B. , Reichelt, S., Cattermole, D.M.
& Laufer, J. (2003)
Re-evaluation of differential phase contrast (DPC) in a
scanning laser microscope using a split detector as an
alternative to differential interference contrast (DIC) optics.
J. Microscopy-Oxford 210, 166-175
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The optical microscope project in this lab stems from the development of the confocal scanning laser microscope here in the mid-80s. We continue to work with manufacturers to improve this instrument.
Our major current project is the development of an optical system for confocal imaging at low magnification of, for example, a whole mouse embryo or a large area of the brain. A new lens system has been developed, having a numerical aperture of nearly 0.5 at a magnification of only 4X. This has been implemented as an immersion lens with internal compensation for different mounting fluids.
The new lens system has been given the name 'Mesolens' to symbolise its intermediate position between a conventional microscope objective and a photographic macro lens, with the high resolution of the first and the wide field of the second. It has already opened up new possibilities for macrophotography in biomedical optics, in imaging neurones and mammalian embryos and particularly for bioluminescence studies, but will probably be of value also in mineralogy, materials, food and forensic science. The main aim of the design is to enable the lens to be used for laser scanning microscopy and this development is now afoot. A company has been set up (Mesolens Ltd) to develop it under the aegis of the MRC: the contact address is
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. The Mesolens has been selected in a national competition as an exhibit entitled 'Improving the Magnifying Glass --- A New Giant Lens' for the Summer Science Exhibition commemorating the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Society (25th June - 5th July 2010) see http://www.seefurtherfestival.org/exhibition/view/improving-magnifying-glass-new-giant-lens
Another project, funded by a European Eureka Grant, is being carried out in collaboration with the Cambridge Cancer Research Institute. This project concerns the exploration of the potential of second harmonic imaging in biomedical research.
Also with the CCRI, we have successfully applied a supercontinuum white-light laser to interferometric biological imaging.
An MRC-funded annual course in Plymouth has become a centre for training and discussion in advanced optical microscope methods, attracting leading lecturers, manufacturers and students from the whole of Europe, including many from LMB.
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