Final answer:
A light microscope is used to pass light through a transparent specimen, allowing for true-color views of cells, but often requires staining to distinguish individual components.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of microscope that passes light through a transparent or thinly sliced specimen to generate true-color views of cells is known as a light microscope. These microscopes use visible light that passes and bends through a lens system to enable the user to see the specimen.
Light microscopes are especially useful for viewing living organisms, but because cells are usually transparent, their components are often not visible without the use of special stains, which can kill the cells. For this reason, when living cells are observed under a light microscope, they are typically seen in their natural state, rendering true-color views.