Developing Digital Photomicroscopy.

K J Micklem

doi:10.3390/cells11020296

Abstract

(1) The need for efficient ways of recording and presenting multicolour immunohistochemistry images in a pioneering laboratory developing new techniques motivated a move away from photography to electronic and ultimately digital photomicroscopy. (2) Initially broadcast quality analogue cameras were used in the absence of practical digital cameras. This allowed the development of digital image processing, storage and presentation. (3) As early adopters of digital cameras, their advantages and limitations were recognised in implementation. (4) The adoption of immunofluorescence for multiprobe detection prompted further developments, particularly a critical approach to probe colocalization. (5) Subsequently, whole-slide scanning was implemented, greatly enhancing histology for diagnosis, research and teaching.

Highlights

The Mason research group, formally the Leukaemia Research Fund Immunodiagnostics Unit, pioneered the use of monoclonal antibodies in clinical diagnosis
(2) Initially broadcast quality analogue cameras were used in the absence of practical digital cameras
(3) As early adopters of digital cameras, their advantages and limitations were recognised in implementation

Summary

Background

The Mason research group, formally the Leukaemia Research Fund Immunodiagnostics Unit, pioneered the use of monoclonal antibodies in clinical diagnosis Their key strategy was to screen antibody clones for selection on tissue sections. This had many advantages in that there are a wide variety of cell types on a single microscope slide, and tissue structures are exposed, which are not readily available for binding assay screening This approach eliminates cross- and pan-reacting clones and selects on utility [1]. A dye destruction positive-to-positive photographic process (Cibachrome) was used to produce prints of micrographs captured as transparencies, which was technically exacting and time-consuming This was critical because the laboratory had pioneered immunostaining, which relied on an accurate colour rendition of chromogens. In addition to the complicated technique of taking a well colourbalanced photomicrograph, there was a further delay in producing an accurate print for publication in a journal

Electronic Photomicroscopy

Implementing Digital Capture

Fluorescence Photomicroscopy