Olympus Offers Expanded Line of Compact, Turnkey Laser Scanning Multiphoton Microscopes to See Deeper into Tissue

Olympus is introducing a newly expanded line of FluoView® FV1000-MPE multiphoton laser scanning microscope systems* for deeper observation and imaging in living specimens. There are now 14 models and configurations available, allowing researchers to put together the exact system that can both meet their needs now and grow with them in the future.

The systems, which incorporate Olympus’ world-renowned optics, allow unprecedented capabilities and new flexibility for neuroscientists and biologists who need to image dynamic processes up to several hundred microns deep in living specimens with minimal bleaching or damage.

Most of the systems rely on an optimally tuned, custom-designed Spectra-Physics DeepSee™ laser that minimizes the need for higher laser power at the sample by compensating for group velocity dispersion. The systems can handle applications using multiple spatial points or regions of interest, imaging using high-speed toggling on/off of the laser with an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and, with their smaller footprint, are designed for easy, turnkey operation. Finally, the systems can be conveniently upgraded at any time.

All of the FV1000-MPE systems are useful for repeated, long-range or time-lapse exposures; infrared (IR) stimulation and imaging are available on some of the versions. High-performance UIS2 and specific multiphoton objectives are available, including dipping lenses and IR-corrected optics. System set-up is simple, with just two alignment points required.

“From researchers who require basic IR imaging to those who demand simultaneous IR imaging, IR stimulation and visible laser imaging, these new systems offer higher performance and greater flexibility overall than other commercial multiphoton systems,” said Dennis Donley of Olympus America Inc. “What’s more, they have the smallest footprint available, with units as small as about 5-by-5 feet, and they can be upgraded right in the field.”

The systems are built around Olympus’ widely used FV1000 confocal imaging platform, with its proprietary SIM scanner. This allows for two lasers to be used simultaneously in different regions of the specimen. When combined with multiphoton capability, the microscopes can use two multiphoton lasers simultaneously for 3D uncaging experiments.

For more information on the full line of Olympus FluoView FV1000-MPE multiphoton laser scanning microscope systems, contact Olympus America Inc., 3500 Corporate Parkway, Center Valley PA 18034-0610; phone 1-800-455-8236; visit the company articel webpage or email Dennis.Donley@olympus.com.

*BACKGROUND ON MULTIPHOTON MICROSCOPY
In multiphoton fluorescence microscopy, a fluorescently-tagged specimen absorbs the energy from two (or more) photons that arrive simultaneously, and emits a fluorescence signal as if having been stimulated by a photon of double (or triple) the photon energy. Multiphoton systems can use excitation wavelengths that are of a longer, lower energy type, which scatter less as they pass through tissue. In addition, the Olympus detector is "non-descanned" (i.e. light does not need to travel through the scanning mirrors or confocal aperture before reaching the detector) and can thus be located as close to the objective as possible for maximum efficiency. Multiphoton systems allow researchers to achieve thinner optical sectioning and also cause less photobleaching and phototoxicity to surrounding areas of the specimen. They are thus ideal for deep, in vivo imaging.