  Reconstituted cytoskeleton composites have emerged as a valuable model system
for studying non equilibrium soft matter. Faithful capture of the dynamics of
these three dimensional, dense networks calls for optical sectioning often
associated with fluorescence confocal microscopes. However, recent developments
in light sheet microscopy has established it as a cost effective, and at times
superior, alternative. To make the LSM accessible to cytoskeleton researchers
less familiar with optics, we present a step by step beginners guide to
building a versatile light sheet microscope from off the shelf components. To
enable sample mounting with traditional slide samples, our LSM follows the
single objective light sheet design, which utilizes a single objective for both
excitation and emission collection. We describe the function of each component
of the SOLS in sufficient detail to allow readers to modify the instrumentation
and design to fit their specific needs. Finally, we demonstrate the use of our
custom SOLS instrument by visualizing asters in kinesin driven microtubule
networks.
