Advanced microscopy techniques for the visualization and analysis of cell behaviors

The continued evolution of microscopic imaging systems is the key factor driving the accumulation of knowledge in the field of cell biology. Advanced microscopy encompasses both high-resolution and super-resolution imaging techniques that have enabled scientists to overcome the diffraction barrier of light and thereby provided the capacity to visualize the dynamic behaviors of specimens at the nanometer and subnanometer scale. This chapter highlights many of the existing optical and nonoptical microscopic methodologies as well as the advantages, disadvantages, and experimental questions best suited for each imaging technique. The chapter further discusses the details of how each system works in theory and in practice to dissect and understand cell movement in health and disease.