Science Lab

Learn. Share. Contribute. The knowledge portal of Leica Microsystems. Find scientific research and teaching material on the subject of microscopy. The portal supports 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.

Investigating Synapses in Brain Slices with Enhanced Functional Electron Microscopy

A fundamental question of neuroscience is: what is the relationship between structural and functional properties of synapses? Over the last few decades, electrophysiology has shed light on synaptic…

Essential Guide to Ultramicrotomy

When studying samples, to visualize their fine structure with nanometer scale resolution, most often electron microscopy is used. There are 2 types: scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which images the…

Studying Pulmonary Fibrosis

The results shown in this article demonstrate that fibrotic and non-fibrotic regions of collagen present in mouse lung tissue can be distinguished better with polarized light compared to brightfield.…

Mouse lymphnode acquired with a THUNDER Imager 3D Cell Culture. Image courtesy of Dr. Selina Keppler, Munich, Germany.

Image Gallery: THUNDER Imager

To help you answer important scientific questions, THUNDER Imagers eliminate the out-of-focus blur that clouds the view of thick samples when using camera-based fluorescence microscopes. They achieve…

A Guide to Model Organisms in Research

A model organism is a species used by researchers to study specific biological processes. They have similar genetic characteristics to humans and are commonly used in research areas such as genetics,…

Mouse retina was fixed and stained by following reagents: anti-CD31 antibody (green): Endothelia cells, IsoB4 (red): Blood vessels, and microglia anti-GFAP antibody (blue): Astrocytes Sample courtesy by Jeremy Burton, PhD and Jiyeon Lee, PhD, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, USA. Imaged by Olga Davydenko, PhD (Leica). Imaged with a THUNDER Imager 3D Cell Culture.

An Introduction to Computational Clearing

Many software packages include background subtraction algorithms to enhance the contrast of features in the image by reducing background noise. The most common methods used to remove background noise…

Computational Clearing - Enhance 3D Specimen Imaging

This webinar is designed to clarify crucial specifications that contribute to THUNDER Imagers' transformative visualization of 3D samples and improvements within a researcher's imaging-related…

Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy Probes Neurodegenerative Disease

Despite decades of research, the molecular mechanisms underlying some of the most severe neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, remain poorly understood. The progression of…

Zebrafish Whole Brain imaging with Leica SP8 spectral confocal laser scanning microscope

Zebrafish Brain - Whole Organ Imaging at High Resolution

Structural information is key when one seeks to understand complex biological systems, and one of the most complex biological structures is the vertebrate central nervous system. To image a complete…