In traditional microscopy, a scope has a light source and condenser situated below the observation stage and the objective lenses situated above it. An inverted microscope, however, features the opposite construction: they have the condenser and light source above the stage and the objective lenses below. Reversing the construction of a microscope in this way isn’t just for fun, though; there are some very real benefits for using an inverted microscope over a traditionally-designed one.

The biggest advantage to using an inverted microscope i s in the observation of biological samples. They are extremely useful for viewing living cells or organisms in a more natural environment than a traditional slide, often because the construction of an inverted microscope makes observation of biological material in a tissue culture flask or a petri dish possible. This makes the inverted scope invaluable in cell culture viewing. Inverted microscopes are also excellent for metallurgical observation, as polished samples can be placed on top of the observation stage and then observed from below using reflective objective lenses. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, inverted scopes provide room for micromanipulation of specimens through specialized microtools. It’s all of these capabilities that make the inverted microscope such a popular choice for many scientists.