These terms refer to the location of some components, like objectives and light sources. Upright microscopes have objectives placed above the stage where you put your sample; inverted microscopes have objectives below the stage where you put your sample.

To distinguish the two microscope types, one must solely focus on the location of the objectives. The Upright microscope has its objectives opposite of the stage and will image on top of the sample. The inverted microscope has its objectives below the stage and will image from underneath the sample.

What are inverted microscopes used for? Inverted microscopes are used for observing cells and organisms in culture, in Petri dishes, flasks, microplates, and roller bottles. They are equipped with brightfield and often phase contrast, which allows unstained transparent tissue to be observed more clearly.