Virtual Microscopy Techniques

Virtual Microscopy

• Virtual microscopy involves converting stained tissue preparations to high-resolution digital images for study on a computer or digital device.
• This technique allows for the study of tissues without an actual stained slide or microscope.
• Digital images are captured in a grid-like pattern at multiple magnifications using a specialized slide-scanning microscope.
• Software converts the dataset for storage on a server, allowing access and navigation of the original slide with common web browsers or devices.

Advantages of Virtual Microscopy

• Cost-effective compared to traditional light microscopy.
• Easier to use than traditional light microscopy.

Fluorescence Microscopy

• Fluorescence microscopy involves irradiating tissue sections with ultraviolet (UV) light, causing certain substances to emit light with a longer wavelength.
• Fluorescent substances appear bright on a dark background.
• Instruments used in fluorescence microscopy have a source of UV light and filters that select rays of different wavelengths emitted by the substances to be visualized.

Fluorescent Stains

• Fluorescent compounds with affinity for specific cell macromolecules can be used as fluorescent stains.
• Examples of fluorescent stains include:
  • Acridine orange, which binds to DNA and RNA, emitting slightly different fluorescence.
  • DAPI and Hoechst, which specifically bind to DNA and stain cell nuclei, emitting a characteristic blue fluorescence.
• Fluorescent compounds can be coupled to molecules that specifically bind to certain cellular components, allowing for their identification under the microscope.

Applications of Fluorescence Microscopy

• Identification of specific cellular components using fluorescent compounds.
• Immunohistologic staining using antibodies labeled with fluorescent compounds.
• Visualizing specific molecules using fluorescence microscopy.