A fluorescence microscopy technique that uses point illumination and spatial filtering to eliminate out-of-focus light, creating sharp optical sections through specimens. It enables three-dimensional reconstruction of cellular structures with excellent resolution.
Named from 'confocal' meaning 'having the same focus,' referring to the alignment of illumination and detection focal points. Invented by Marvin Minsky in 1957 but not commercially viable until laser and computer technology advanced in the 1980s.
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