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.

History, Developments and Trends of Microscopy in Cancer Research

Cancer is a global disease, with 18 million new cases diagnosed and 10 million cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020. This burden is set to increase, with a projected increase in cases of ~55% by…

Overview of Fluorescent Dyes in terms of Applications and Properties

An introduction to commonly used fluorescent dyes and an overview of their characteristics are given in this article. Fluorescence microscopy is used for the study of specific cellular components with…

Researchers Insights: Microscopy in Cancer Research

Discover how imaging techniques are driving cancer research forward. In this issue, we present comprehensive multimodal studies using microscopy, as well as new directions in intraoperative cancer…

Electron microscope (EM) image of a cross section of C. elegans (roundworm). Courtesy of T. Müller-Reichert, MPI-CBG, Dresden, Germany and K. McDonald, University of California, Berkeley, USA.

Brief Introduction to High-Pressure Freezing for Cryo-Fixation

Preparation of biological specimens for electron microscopy (EM) often requires cryo-fixation which does not introduce significant structural alterations of cellular constituents. A common method used…

67-hour, multi-position time-lapse of mouse intestinal organoids expressing the cell cycle reporter FUCCI2 (hGem-mVenus and hCdt1-mCherry).

Focus on Long-Term Imaging in 3D with Light Sheet Microscopy

Long-term 3D imaging reveals how complex multicellular systems grow and develop and how cells move and interact over time, unlocking critical insights into development, disease, and regeneration.…

Brain organoid labeled with lamin (green) and tubulin (magenta), acquired using Viventis Deep. Courtesy of Akanksha Jain, Treutlein Lab ETH-DBSSE Basel (Switzerland).

Faster & Deeper Insights into Organoid and Spheroid Models

Gain deeper, more translatable, insights into organoid and spheroid models for drug discovery and disease research by overcoming key imaging challenges. In this eBook, explore advanced microscopy…

Fluorescence microscopy of sectioned tissue, showing the interface between the extensor digitorum longus muscle and the common peroneal nerve in the adult rat. Regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) at 2 weeks. Image acquired using Mica. Stained for nuclei (blue), neurofilaments (green) and S100B (red). Image courtesy of Dr. Aaron Lee, Department of Bioengineering (Lab of Dr. Rylie Green), Imperial College London.

How to Image Axon Regeneration in Deep Muscle Tissue

This study highlights Dr. Aaron Lee’s research on mapping nerve regeneration in muscle grafts post-amputation. Limb loss often leads to reduced quality of life, not only from tissue loss but also due…

5 hour time-lapse maximum intensity projection of a zebrafish embryo along the z-axis at 3 days post fertilization. Left: microglia cells. Right: bright field channel. Courtesy of Prof. Francesca Peri, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Capturing Developmental Dynamics in 3D

This application note showcases how the Viventis Deep dual-view light sheet microscope was successfully used by researchers for exploring high-resolution, long-term imaging of 3D multicellular models…

Trichomonas parasite in mouse gut, rOTO Embedding and serial sections for array tomography imaging. Sample courtesy Isabelle Guerin-Bonne, Low Kay En, Electron Microscopy Unit, Yong loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore

Integrated Serial Sectioning and Cryo-EM Workflows for 3D Biological Imaging

This on-demand webinar explores how integrated tools can support electron microscopy workflows from sample preparation to image analysis. Experts Andreia Pinto, Adrian Boey, and Hoyin Lai present the…