Holographic Nanoscale Microscopy Allows Watching Living Cells in 3D
Real time observation, of living cells, in 3D, and at the nanoscale - this are the incredible and groundbreaking features of a new holographic microscopy prototype developed by two young scientists at the Swiss Technology University EPFL.
In the world of microscopy, "this advance is almost comparable to the leap from photography to live television." Going beyond conventional microscopes by using a low-intensity laser for scanning combined with advanced computational image processing, it can acquire images of living cells in just a minute (and becoming much faster still as it is further developed) at a resolution of less than 100 nanometers — without using contrast dyes or fluorescents, to avoid distortion by the presence of foreign substances.
Being able to capture a living cell from every angle like this lays the groundwork for a whole new field of investigation. “We can observe in real time the reaction of a cell that is subjected to any kind of stimulus,” explains researcher Yann Cotte.
See the full story here: http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/4893/20130211/holographic-microscopy-nanoscale-watching-living-cells-3d.htm