Cell Culture Microscope - Microscopes (Apr/24/2006 )

I am trying to figure out the best microscope to buy for routine cell culture. Mostly the cell lines I am working with are hepatocytes and glial cells. Whatever suggestions or reccomedations offered will be greatly appreciated.

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We have two. A standard light microscope by Nikon which we have had for a long time, does the job. As ours is old you may find a better model on their website. We look at HEK, HL-1, HeLa and CHOs.

We also have a fluorescent microscope - Zeiss Axiovert 2000, if you also happen to be using fluorescent proteins.

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hi
we use this one for counting cells and general observations of cells (hela 293, hepG2...)

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Does anyone have suggestions on inverted microscopes?

Also can someone explain to me what exactly phase contrast means??

Thanks

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Phase contrast is used to image specimens that are unstained and more or less transparent, by using the specimen's refractive index.

Light is bent when it passes from one RI to another. The phase of light rays that have emerged from the specimen are translated to signals with different brightness or amplitude which your eye can see.

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniq...comparison.html

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