層光顯微鏡具有低光毒性與高速成像的兩大優點,加上最近在更薄光切片的新設計致使解析度大為提升,以及影像處理電腦效能提升的兩大前提之下,已經漸漸成為用來觀察生物影像的光學顯微鏡系統中的主力之一。因為這些優勢,在不管是基因轉殖後的動物活體影像觀察,或是組織澄清後的結構性影像,層光顯微鏡特別適合長時間觀察樣品中三維的細胞移動,或高速變化的訊號,或是用來拍攝澄清化後的超大樣品如整隻老鼠,或整個人腦。這些新的發現也是生命科學研究目前最重要的基石之一。
There are two major advantage of applying light sheet microscopy onto biological sample: high-speed and low photo toxicity. Recently, due to the higher optical sectioning ability of new light sheet design and high-performance computing, light sheet microscopy has become a major player in the bio-optical imaging field, including live imaging or structural imaging in various transgenic animal models. Light sheet microscopy is particularly good at long-term tracking of 3D cell movements, high-speed activity changes, or imaging huge cleared specimen such as whole mice or whole human brain. These new findings are becoming the most important foundations in the biology field.