AN APPLICATION OF THE LASER-SCANNING MICROSCOPE TO MICROAUTORADIOGRAPHY

The laser scanning microscope (LSM) was applied to observe microautora diographs. High quality laser scanned differential interference contra st (DIC) images of autoradiographs from the mouse kidney after injecti on of H-3-fucose, and of mouse skeletal muscle after injection of I-12 5-insulin, were obtained. In the confocal LSM mode, reflectance from d eveloped silver grains was observed. In a merged image of the reflecta nce and the DIC, it was possible to distinguish between silver grains and tissues in the specimen clearly, and to discern their spatial rela tionship. It is anticipated that the technique can be applied to micro autoradiography at light microscope level.