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Portable optical light microscopes are widely used tools in the field of microscopy. Found in laboratories both large and small, as well as schools and colleges, they are a simple and elegant solution that helps scientists peer into the microscopic world and reveal structures invisible to the naked eye.

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Although they have been surpassed in resolution within the last century by tools such as electron microscopes, atomic force microscopes, and super-resolution microscopy methods, they are still ubiquitous in laboratories, classrooms, and field studies across the developed and developing world. Whilst limited in their application and functionality, they still have their advantages. Some advantages and disadvantages are listed below.

A key tool in modern cell biology, several features make light microscopy ideal for the imaging of biology in living cells. These include:

As they are inexpensive, light microscopes are useful in developing countries, especially outside of wealthy urban centers, governmental institutions, and universities.

This makes them suited to identifying disease-causing organisms in outbreaks in a short space of time. The Global Focus microscope is one portable, battery-powered microscope that has been developed for this purpose.

This is an inverted bright field and fluorescence microscope that can magnify an image up to 1000x and can be manufactured for around USD 240. It is proving especially useful for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a common disease in underdeveloped communities, from sputum smears.

Portable microscopes are cheap, versatile options for academia, education, and research studies. They are simple to use and widely available and do have some advantages, especially where cost is a consideration, though they are not suitable for a variety of studies that demand high-resolution imaging of delicate cellular and atomic structures, which can be on the nanomolecular scale.

Thorn, K (2016) A quick guide to light microscopy in cell biology MBoC Vol. 27 Issue 2 pgs 219-222 DOI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4713126/

Miller, A.R et al. (2010) Portable, Battery-Operated, Low-Cost, Bright Field and Fluorescence Microscope PLoS ONE Vol. 5 Issue 8 e11890 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011890

Reg Davey is a freelance copywriter and editor based in Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Writing for News Medical represents the coming together of various interests and fields he has been interested and involved in over the years, including Microbiology, Biomedical Sciences, and Environmental Science.

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