Basics of Confocal Microscopy

This webinar will introduce the key concepts associated with biological confocal microscopy. Topics such as the confocal pinhole and optical sectioning will be outlined. Specific components that comprise a confocal microscope such as lasers, detectors, and the confocal scan head will be introduced, and basic imaging parameters required for the acquisition of a confocal image will be discussed. What is the benefit of using confocal microscopy over traditional widefield imaging? The talk will highlight the degree of flexibility inherent with confocal imaging over other imaging modalities.

• Understand what is meant by confocal microscopy

• What are the major components that comprise a confocal microscope

• Understand and appreciate that the imaging process is usually a compromise between competing factors that influence confocal image quality