Microscope Phase Contrast

Phase contrast is a technique used in microscopy. Phase contrast causes some interference in the light path and enhances microscopy specimens that tend to be the same color as the background they are against. The images below are human cheek cells.

This first image was captured with standard brightfield.

This image was captured using phase contrast.

Notice how when using phase contrast the cells tend to "pop" out of the image. You can even see the nuclei if you look closely at the center of some of the cells. You can learn more about phase contrast here.