Microscopic Optical Sectioning

Confocal microscopy overcomes the depth of field limitation of conventional magnifying optics by isolating one “layer” at a time. This so called “optical sectioning” capability gives rise to the ability to move the focal plane to different depths, isolating the view at each depth as it goes, to achieve both surface and subsurface microscopic imaging. In this example, the imaging plane is initially at the surface of the colonic mucosa (as indicated on the right). Progressive images moving deeper into the tissue were collected with each frame, going down into the lamina propria where capillaries are observed