What type of microscope shows cells against a white background?

A bright-field microscope is the type of microscope that displays cells against a white background. This is primarily due to the way it illuminates the specimen. In bright-field microscopy, light is transmitted through the sample and only the light that is not absorbed or scattered by the specimen reaches the observer's eye or camera. As a result, transparent or lightly pigmented specimens appear darker against the bright white background of the illuminated field.

This contrasting effect makes it easier to observe the morphology and details of the cells that may not be visible without this level of illumination. Bright-field microscopy is widely used in microbiology for viewing stained specimens, where colored dyes enhance the contrast between the cells and their surroundings.

In comparison, dark-field microscopy illuminates the sample in such a way that only scattered light is seen, creating a bright specimen against a dark background. Fluorescence microscopy relies on the properties of fluorescent dyes that emit light of a specific wavelength when excited, giving a vivid color contrast instead of a standard white background. Transmission electron microscopy uses electron beams instead of light and requires the specimen to be very thin, providing detailed internal structures but not a simple white background display. These alternative methods serve different purposes in microscopy, but for viewing cells against a white background,