Confocal microscope system

A confocal microscope system comprising:

• a laser unit comprising at least not less than one unit of laser oscillator;
• a Nipkow disk type scanner unit for scanning with a laser beam from the laser unit;
• a projection optical system for projecting the laser beam for scanned by the Nipkow disk type scanner unit;
• an X-Y drive device for driving a specimen disposed opposite to an objective lens in X-Y directions on a table;
• a separation optical system for separating a portion of a fluorescent beam from the specimen, having passed through the scanner unit again;
• an imaging optical system for causing the portion of the fluorescent beam to form an image again;
• and
• an image capture unit disposed on an imaging plane of the imaging optical system,
• wherein respective units making up the confocal microscope system are integrally housed in a protection cabinet covering the confocal microscope system, and when the specimen is moved toward an external face of the protection cabinet, a side of the external face, adjacent to an opening through which the specimen is taken in, or out, is defined as a front face, the Nipkow disk type scanner unit is disposed backward of the objective lens.