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Confocal microscopy

Learn all about confocal microscopy and what it can do

What is confocal microscopy?

The confocal microscope scans a laser beam through a sample to excite molecules that are in focus. The molecules then emit photons, which are measured by a detector. A pinhole in front of the detector blocks out-of-focus light and hence improves image quality.

Confocal microscopy offers an improved resolution and signal-to-noise ratio over widefield. The ability to vary the height of the focal plane simultaneously while experimenting is also remarkably useful for 3D reconstruction of larger specimens. This method is more time-consuming than widefield in acquisition and image production and generally higher maintenance, in some cases there is also a tradeoff where some resolution is sacrificed to distinguish different structures in a given sample. Confocal Microscopy is an excellent method of optical imaging often preferred by researchers for applications involving visualization of genetic material or structural components of cells. It enables the assessment of the colocalization of structures and has had large ramifications in studies of the viability of cells.
Figure 1: Three color confocal image of Cas9 binding to a single DNA molecule tethered between two optically trapped beads. Blue/green/red markers indicate the position of individual Cas9 complexes.
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The C-Trap® provides the world’s first dynamic single-molecule microscope to allow simultaneous manipulation and visualization of single-molecule interactions in real time.

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Relevant resources

Learn as much as you can by reading up on our application notes or marathoning our webinars.

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Improving CAR-T immunotherapy for lymphoma by fine-tuning avidity

Improving CAR-T immunotherapy for lymphoma by fine-tuning avidity

Webinar
July 16, 2024
01-01-20

Commercial CAR-T therapies still suffer from severe limitations, as majority of patients fail to achieve complete response and ultimately relapse.

Watch this Webinar to discover Prof. Marco Ruella’s team have adopted a novel CAR-T avidity screening method to improve safety and exhaustion profile, leading to 100% clinical response in a phase I trial.

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Enhancing efficacy against clear cell renal cell carcinoma through format-tuning of bispecific T cell engagers

Enhancing efficacy against clear cell renal cell carcinoma through format-tuning of bispecific T cell engagers

Scientific update
January 29, 2025
01-01-20

Cell Avidity: a key to accelerate IND filing in cell therapy drug development

Cell Avidity: a key to accelerate IND filing in cell therapy drug development

Whitepaper
July 1, 2023
01-01-20

Cell Avidity measures true binding of biparatopic antibodies

Cell Avidity measures true binding of biparatopic antibodies

Application note
April 23, 2025
01-01-20

Mechanistic issues limit the effectiveness of many current cancer-targeting antibody therapies, with monospecific antibodies often hindered by receptor dimerization and activation. Biparatopic antibodies, which bind to two unique non-overlapping epitopes, offer a promising solution with stronger binding, more potent antagonism, and higher specificity.

Avidigo Service Brochure

Avidigo Service Brochure

Brochure
May 1, 2025
01-01-20

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