Phase Contrast Microscopy

Phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) is an optical microscopy technique that converts phase shifts in light passing through a transparent specimen to make hard-to-see, obscure structures of a specimen visible. Phase-contrast microscopy is one of the few methods available to reveal cellular structure and components that does not use fluorescence. When the same specimens and structures are observed with a microscope using phase contrast, they can be more clearly revealed with higher contrast and richer detail.