Science Lab

The knowledge portal of Leica Microsystems offers scientific research and teaching material on the subjects of microscopy. The content is designed to support beginners, experienced practitioners and scientists alike in their everyday work and experiments. Explore interactive tutorials and application notes, discover the basics of microscopy as well as high-end technologies – become part of the Science Lab community and share your expertise!

The principle of the FusionOptics technology: Of the two separate beam paths (1), one provides depth of field (2) and the other high resolution (3). In the brain, the two images of the sample are merged into a single, optimal 3D image (4).

What is the FusionOptics Technology?

Leica stereo microscopes with FusionOptics provide optimal 3D perception. The brain merges two images, one with large depth of field and the other with high resolution, into one 3D image.

Branched organoid growing in collagen where the Nuclei are labeled blue. To detect the mechanosignaling process, the YAP1 is labeled green.

Examining Developmental Processes In Cancer Organoids

Interview: Prof. Bausch and Dr. Pastucha, Technical University of Munich, discuss using microscopy to study development of organoids, stem cells, and other relevant disease models for biomedical…

Mouse cortical neurons. Transgenic GFP (green). Image courtesy of Prof. Hui Guo, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, China

How Microscopy Helps the Study of Mechanoceptive and Synaptic Pathways

In this podcast, Dr Langenhan explains how microscopy helps his team to study mechanoceptive and synaptic pathways, their challenges, and how they overcome them.

THY1-EGFP labeled neurons in mouse brain processed using the PEGASOS 2 tissue clearing method, imaged on a Leica confocal microscope. Neurons were traced using Aivia’s 3D Neuron Analysis – FL recipe. Image credit: Hu Zhao, Chinese Institute for Brain Research.

Unlocking Insights in Complex and Dense Neuron Images Guided by AI

The latest advancement in Aivia AI image analysis software provides improved soma detection, additional flexibility in neuron tracing, 3D relational measurement including Sholl analysis and more.

What are the Challenges in Neuroscience Microscopy?

eBook outlining the visualization of the nervous system using different types of microscopy techniques and methods to address questions in neuroscience.

The Role of Iron Metabolism in Cancer Progression

Iron metabolism plays a role in cancer development and progression, and modulates the immune response. Understanding how iron influences cancer and the immune system can aid the development of new…

Going Beyond Deconvolution

Widefield fluorescence microscopy is often used to visualize structures in life science specimens and obtain useful information. With the use of fluorescent proteins or dyes, discrete specimen…

Depth coding of endothelial cells in zebrafish eye. Courtesy of Basile Gurchenkov, Imaging Center of the IGBMC, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France.

Gentle 3D Imaging of Biological Samples

For 3D imaging of biological samples, light sheet microscopy is a powerful and sensitive tool allowing you to measure (sub)cellular dynamics over long periods of time. Meanwhile, confocal microscopy,…

Fluorescently stained mouse tibia, imaged with a THUNDER Imager 3D Tissue. Courtesy of Dr. Anjali Kusumbe, University of Oxford, UK.

High-resolution 3D Imaging to Investigate Tissue Ageing

Award-winning researcher Dr. Anjali Kusumbe demonstrates age-related changes in vascular microenvironments through single-cell resolution 3D imaging of young and aged organs.