Products

MOTORIZED TILTING OBJECTIVE UNIT

for free rotation of the objective

Technology Overview

The motorized tilting module rotates the objective, giving a higher level of freedom to reach the sample from different angles. The module also includes a Piezo objective positioner, ensuring additional movement of the objective in the Z direction.

Applications

Novel surgical methods utilizing grin lenses or miniature prisms allow optical investigation of deep structures within the brain. Implementing these technologies is greatly enhanced by our motorized tilting objective:

• aligning optical axis of the embedded optical elements is facilitated by the handwheel operated multi-axis positioning of the grin lens/Smart microscope,
• store and reuse optimal angles and positions when experimenting multiple times with the same animal,
• utilize the units high-precision movements to fine adjust position and alignment without actually touching the assembly,
• suitable for imaging lateral brain regions, even in non-human primates.

Features

• 180º rotation around the horizontal axis
• 100º rotation around the vertical axis
• Speed of rotation: 4º/sec
• Unidirectional repeatability: less than 0.02 mrad (~2 µm)
• Z movement with piezo objective positioner module: 400 µm
• Transmission over 80% (700-1100 or 900-1300 nm)
• Accepts both conventional and large back aperture objectives
• Green illumination module
• Maximum number of mounted detectors: 3

Benefits

• Flexible objective positioning with high precision
• Highly stable in all positions
• Fast z-stack acquisition also from tilted position
• Close coupled detectors
• Useful for in vivo experiments, intravital imaging, and deep brain imaging in rodents or even non-human primates

EPIFLUORESCENT UNIT

for multicolor full-field illumination

Technology Overview

Wavelength-specific full-field excitation is performed by powerful LED light sources built in a rotating unit above the objective. Fluorescent imaging can be achieved with a wide variety of scientific cameras.

Features

• LEDs for customizable wavelengths (430, 450, 480, 530, 590 nm, others on special request)
• Wavelength-specific filters for excitation of narrow ranges
• Additional emission filters for blocking the reflected light and filtering the emission spectra
• Up to 5 sets of exchangeable filter cubes
• 100 µm penetration depth
• Detection by CMOS camera
• Software controlled operation
• Installed into the light path above the objective
• PMT protection during the stimulation by built-in gating system

Benefits

• Homogenous excitation of the entire FOV in 100 µm depth
• Excitation specified for GFP, YFP, RFP, mCherry, etc.
• Cleared emission for bright signals

GREEN ILLUMINATION

for vessel pattern visualization

Technology Overview

Green illumination from an LED light source allows high-contrast visualization of blood vessels, taking advantage of that the highly concentrated heme content of the red blood cells is excitable in the spectral region of 300-650 nm. Using green illumination helps to navigate on the surface of any organs under in vivo conditions and position a patch pipette for bulk loading or patch clamping.

Features

• Excitation wavelength at 510-540 nm
• ~100 µm penetration depth
• 3 sec switching time between camera and two-photon modes
• Detection by CMOS camera
• Adjustable brightness, contrast and gamma parameters
• Software controlled operation
• Equipped on the objective arm
• Built-in PMT protection during operation

Benefits

• High-contrast visualization
• Precise overlap in XYZ between camera and two-photon recorded field of view
• Locate your chronic imaging spot within the craniotomy

LED LIGHT SOURCE

for full-field photostimulation

Technology Overview

Full-field illumination using a selected LED source allows molecules and cells to be stimulated over the whole FOV homogeneously. Combine this module with gated detectors to achieve millisecond switching between stimulation and imaging.

See more at Optogenetics

Features

• Typical wavelengths: 430, 450, 480, 590 nm, others on special request
• Precisely timed and highly repeatable impulses
• ~200 µm penetration depth
• Software controlled operation
• Equipped on the objective arm
• PMT protection during the stimulation by optional gated detectors

Benefits

• Simultaneous stimulation over the entire FOV
• Optimized for optogenetics studies: precise spatio-temporal activation of ChR2 and/or NpHR
• Millisecond switching between stimulation and detection

3P RANGE MICROSCOPY

for three-photon excitation

Technology Overview

The three-photon (3P) microscopy allows noninvasive functional imaging of the deeper tissues with higher axial resolution compared to the two-photon excitation. 3P excitation is performed at longer excitation wavelengths which are scattered less in the biological tissues. (See more at 3P imaging) This allows extending the penetration depth, reduces out-of-focus excitation, and increases the SNR.

The 3P range microscopy kit contains:

• Coherent Monaco pump laser and Opera-F optical parametric amplifier system
• High quality optical elements optimized transmission between 1,200-1,700 nm
• Full optical engineering

Features

• Excitation wavelength range:1,200-1,700 nm
• XY resolution is diffraction limited (less than 1 µm, wavelength dependent), Z resolution ~ 2 µm (sample and wavelength dependent)
• Excites fluorophores in the corresponding 1P excitation wavelength range from blue to green
• Less tissue damage compared to 2P excitation

Benefits

• Third Harmonic Generation (THG) option available
• Functional imaging through the whole cortical depth

LIQUID LENS OBJECTIVE KIT

for fast 3D imaging

Technology Overview

The Liquid lens objective kit contains a carefully chosen objective and a fast-focusing element that utilizes an electrically controlled shape-changing membrane. This flexible membrane enables the objective to switch quickly between focal planes.

Features

• Focuses with nanometer precision
• 200 µm focal range
• 10 ms focal-plane switching time
• Fast settling time
• Transmission 90% at 800 nm
• Aperture 10 mm
• Comes with a 40× magnification objective
• No mechanical perturbation
• 3D volume scanning

Benefits

• Fast switch between the focal planes
• 3D volume scanning enables you to reveal activity of the neural network or other cell groups
• Imaging at multiple tissue depths near simultaneously

BRIDGE STRUCTURE

for coarse Z movement

Technology Overview

The Bridge structure is a lifting apparatus for FemtoSmart which can replace the foot. It provides extreme freedom in positioning of the body and an increased space under the objective.

Features

• Moving range: 50 cm
• Coarse Z adjustment: 1 mm
• Distance between the foot and the objective: 880 mm

Benefits

• Very large space for the sample or accessories
• High-range mobility
• Locate your chronic imaging spot within the craniotomy

FLIM EXTENSION

for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging

Technology Overview

Time correlated single photon counting and the derived fluorescence lifetime imaging measures the time delay between each emitted photon and the laser pulse eliciting it. This time is not affected by fluorophore concentration and excitation intensity fluctuations, however provides intimate information about molecular interactions and dynamics.

Features

• High efficiency hybrid GaAsP PMTs for photon counting
• No afterpulsing
• Up to two photon counting wavelength channels
• Non-descanned design for high photon collection rate
• Minimized optical path length by travelling detector system
• Sub-picosecond temporal resolution
• Parallel conventional integrating and photon counting modes

Benefits

• Absolute ion concentration measurement
• Characterization of bio-physical properties

Related Publications:

Multiplex imaging relates quantal glutamate release to presynaptic Ca²⁺ homeostasis at multiple synapses in situ. Thomas P. Jensen, Kaiyu Zheng, Nicholas Cole, Jonathan S. Marvin, Loren L. Looger, Dmitri A. Rusakov, Nature Communications (2019)

Polymer microchamber arrays for geometry-controlled drug release: a functional study in human cells of neuronal phenotype. Olga Kopach, Kayiu Zheng, Olga A. Sindeeva, Meiyu Gai, Gleb B. Sukhorukov, Dmitri A. Rusakov, Biomaterials Science (2019)

Glutamate Imaging Reveals Multiple Sites of Stochastic Release in the CA3 Giant Mossy Fiber Boutons. Sylvain Rama, Thomas P. Jensen, Dmitri A. Rusakov, Front. Cell. Neurosci. (2019)

A genetically encoded fluorescent sensor for in vivo imaging of GABA. Jonathan S. Marvin, Yoshiteru Shimoda, Vincent Magloire, Marco Leite, Takashi Kawashima, Thomas P. Jensen, Ilya Kolb, Erika L. Knott, Ondrej Novak, Kaspar Podgorski, Nancy J. Leidenheimer, Dmitri A. Rusakov, Misha B. Ahrens, Dimitri M. Kullmann & Loren L. Looger, Nature Methods (2019)

Monitoring intracellular nanomolar calcium using fluorescence lifetime imaging. Kaiyu Zheng, Thomas P Jensen & Dmitri A Rusakov, Nature Protocols (2018)

Monitoring single-synapse glutamate release and presynaptic calcium concentration in organised brain tissue. Jensen TP, Zheng K, Tyurikova O, Reynolds JP, Rusakov DA, Cell Calcium (2017)

Time-Resolved Imaging Reveals Heterogeneous Landscapes of Nanomolar Ca²⁺ in Neurons and Astroglia. Kaiyu Zheng, Lucie Bard, James P. Reynolds, Claire King, Thomas P. Jensen, Alexander V. Gourine, Dmitri A. Rusakov, Neuron (2015)

IN VITRO EXTENSION KIT

for cultured cells or acute brain slices

Technology Overview

Imaging of acute brain slices or cultured tissues makes possible to study cells in a controlled environment outside of a living organism. Gradient contrast illumination eases camera guided patch-clamping while transmitted fluorescence detectors enhance signal collection and SNR.

Features

• High sensitivity GaAsP PMTs for transmitted green and red fluorescence
• Gradient contrast illumination with LED source operating at 840 nm
• Oil condenser NA 1.4
• High quality cell visualization

Benefits

• Gradient contrast illumination helps to navigate in the sample
• Patch-clamping and various electrophysiological studies
• Transmitted detectors increase the SNR of fluorescence detection

MULTIPLE BEAM PATH

for uncaging and optogenetics

Technology Overview

The optomechanical design of the light path enables us to direct more beams into the microscope, utilizing the same light path. We offer secondary, fine-tuned laser sources for a wide range of biophotonics applications. See more: Optogenetics, Uncaging.

Features

• Additional IR or CW laser(s) coupled to the existing light path
• Lightpath can be optimized for three wavelength ranges  (450-1100 or 700-1100 or 900-1300 nm)
• Full optical engineering
• Software controlled operation

Benefits

• Photostimulation with IR or visible light
• Flexible stimulation patterns supporting stimulation of selected regions
• Two-photon uncaging studies
• Visible light optogenetics:
  • ChR2 activation with 473 nm laser
  • NpHR activation with 561 nm laser

DUAL PERFUSION CHAMBER KIT

for electrophysiology

Technology Overview

The slice chamber is designed to maintain isolated, living tissues in healthy state during experiments. In contrast with the single perfusion, dual-superfusion of submerged slices increases the vitality of cells, since oxygen, as well as other materials, can freely and effectively diffuse with high flow rate from both sides into the thick slices. See more at Electrophysiology.

Kit contains:
• Unique dual perfusion polycarbonate chamber
• Slice holder
• Bubble trap
• Dual-channel in-line solution heater
• Temperature controller
• Peristaltic pump

Features

• Perfusion form both tissue sides
• Usable slices with up to 800 µm thickness
• Continuous and smooth fluid flow
• Adjustable, stable temperature
• Fluid degassing and debubbling

Benefits

• Increased oxygenation and vitality of cells
• Maintain acute, thick slice preparations
• Preserved physiological network oscillations during neurophysiological studies

HEAD HOLDERS

for rodents

Technology Overview

Head holder stands and head plates fix the rodent’s head in different positions, enabling precise measurements in the brain. Three types of head holders are available with different dimensions. For anesthetized rodents, we offer a heating pad coupled to a holder, or for behaving animals a stand that ensures access to jetballs, treadmills, or other devices. See more at Behavioral Studies.

Flexible head holder

Offering maximum flexible adjustment for positioning the head, this holder fixes the scull from one side. The head plate can be moved in three directions of the space and also along the bridge. It is offered for difficult to access parts such as eyes or auditory cortex, and anesthetized rodents.

Elevated head holder

The elevated head holder is recommended primarily for VR applications such as jetballs and treadmills. The height of the stand is adjustable, and similarly to the flexible head holder, the plate can be moved in three directions and also along the bridge.

Stabilized head holder

Stabilized head holder is attached to the rodent’s head at two sides. It is ideal for craniotomy or other surgery where the head of the animal model has to be fixed. It can be coupled to the Gramophone.