infocus #26 June 2012 To bin or not to bin

Balancing the trade-off between signal intensity, spatial and time resolution in biological imaging

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.82

Three of the most important things we ask of the light microscope in cell biology are:
1. appropriate magnification
2. high contrast
3. high (spatial or temporal)
resolution

This short paper focuses on issues relating to digital resolution and attempts to demonstrate how all three of these attributes of the light microscope influence the decisions we make when using digital technology to record biological events. As such, no single one can be considered in isolation.

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Authors

Sam Swift

Light and Electron Microscopy Facility Manager, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee

Sam is in charge of the College’s light and electron microscopy facilities and spends part of his time teaching fundamental and advanced microscopy techniques to research staff.

Laura Trinkle-Mulcahy

Senior Research Scientist, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee

Laura is a senior research scientist in the division of Gene Regulation and Expression. She uses a combination of fluorescence microscopy and SILAC-based quantitative proteomics to study the regulation of protein phosphatase 1 in mammalian cells.