Highly sensitive fluorescence microscope system for single biological cell using laser excitation and digital image processing and display

A novel type of laser-excited fluorescence microscope system is reported, which, for the first time, realizes excellent sensitivity and spatial resolution in biological and medical applications using an ultra-high sensitivity image camera and digital image processing technique for three-dimensional display of the detected fluorescence intensity across a single cell. Experimental studies are also presented on the fluorescence intensity distribution of Rhodamine 6G adsorbed in an OH gel as a simple cell model and also of a hematoporphyrin-derivative (HpD) taken up by a cultured esophagus cancer cell.