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Fluorescence microscopy allows investigators to view things _____ of regular light microscopes?

User Davidi
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Final answer:

Fluorescence microscopy enables researchers to surpass the limitations of regular light microscopes by using fluorochromes for enhanced resolution and visualization, particularly beneficial for studying thick specimens and living cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Fluorescence microscopy allows investigators to view structures and details that are beyond the capabilities of regular light microscopes. This technique employs fluorochromes that absorb and emit light, providing the means to view specimens with resolution finer than what is possible with traditional microscopy. With the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy, scientists have overcome the diffraction limit, which in turn earned the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Two-photon microscopes represent an advanced form of fluorescence microscopy, providing enhanced capabilities especially when examining thick specimens like brain slices or whole organs. By using long-wavelength light and requiring two photons to strike simultaneously for fluorochrome excitation, this technique allows deep penetration into specimens and reduced cell damage, which is excellent for live cell imaging. Furthermore, various fluorescent dyes and materials used in fluorescence microscopy can convert nonvisible electromagnetic radiation into visible light, increasing magnification and resolution.

User Bjorn Vdkerckhove
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