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A type of microscopy that uses ultraviolet light as the source of illumination and involves the treatment of the specimen (prior to viewing) with a fluorescent dye (fluorochroming). The short wavelengths of ultraviolet light passing through the specimen cause the dye to fluoresce, i.e. emit long wavelengths of visible light. A fluorescent image is thus produced against a dark background. The technique is used widely. In bacteriology, fluorescent antibody reactions involve the addition of a fluorescent dye to either the antibody or antigen to locate the site of antibody-antigen reactions.
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