MCD BIO 160Principles of Light Microscopy
Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology · 4 units · Undergraduate upper division (100-199)
Over last two decades, there has been explosion of new techniques in light microscopy which has provided us with invaluable tools for biological research. Study of light microscopy techniques currently used in research laboratories. Basics of light microscopy (image formation, magnification, resolution, contrast), widefield and fluorescence microscopy, optical sections (confocal, multi-photon, light-sheet and total internal reflection fluorescence microscope), and super-resolution microscopy. Laboratory sessions include setting up and using simple, rail-based microscope; hands-on time and demonstrations on brightfield/epiflurorescence, confocal, light-sheet and super-resolution microscopes.
Letter grading.
When it runs
Not on the schedule for any of Fall 2025 through Spring 2027. UCLA publishes only that window, so this does not mean the course is gone — check the official listing.
Requisites
Official UCLA wording
Requisites: Life Sciences 7A, 7B, 7C, 23L.
BruinTree reads · Prerequisite
needs reviewconfidence 0.90 · from text- · "LIFESCI 23L" is not in this catalog version
Requires
Everything that has to come before this course, not just the courses named in the requisite above.
MCD BIO 160
- LIFESCI 7ACell and Molecular Biology
- LIFESCI 7BGenetics, Evolution, and Ecology
- LIFESCI 7CPhysiology and Human Biology
3 direct requisites. The whole upstream is here — 5 courses over 2 levels. Every course here opens its own tree.
Unlocks
What this course is a requisite for, and what those courses lead to in turn.
No course in the catalog lists this as a requisite.