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ACTRI AX R: Confocal

Summary

Nikon’s newest point scanning confocal offering an industry leading 25mm field of view, hybrid spectral and filter-based detection, up to 8K resolution galvo scanning and 2K high speed resonant scanning with 405/488/561/640 excitation. Also offers incubation, DIC imaging, fast Z-section capabilities, and automatic water dispenser for high-throughput, high-resolution experiments.

Imaging modalities

  • Laser scanning confocal – Galvano scanner and Resonant scanner
  • Spectral imaging
  • Bright field and DIC

Applications

  • Immunofluorescence samples. Imaging entire slides is easy and straightforward using tiling and stitching functions in the NIS-Elements software. You can control the orientation of the Galvo scanner and thereby control the orientation of your sample within the image.
  • Live cell imaging. Tokai Hit stage top incubation chamber regulates temperature (25 – 50 ⁰C), CO2 and humidity. The resonant scanner is ideal to image fast moving processes with bright fluorophores.
  • FRAP and stimulation experiments. You can image with the resonant scanner and use the Galvo scanner to simultaneously stimulate, activate or convert with the 405 nm laser simultaneous. Or you can bleach, activate or stimulate with the 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm or 640 nm laser and image sequentially using only the Galvo scanner. The stimulation function is integrated in the NIS elements software. Cells can be immediately analyzed after or even during the acquisition with the time measurement tool.
  • Spectral imaging. The spectral range is 400 – 750 nm with a bandwidth of 5, 10, 20, 40nm with a range of 9-70 channels depending on bandwidth.
  • Filter / ratiometric FRET. Filter FRET using blue, green, red and far red fluorescent dyes or fluorescent proteins can be performed. You could measure a FRET change of a cytosolic FRET sensor and acquire multiple cells in one field of view at low magnification or you could measure at high magnification thereby observe a FRET change at a specific subcellular localization.
  • Spectral FRET. Similar as filter / ratiometric FRET, but with more freedom of different colors of fluorescent probes, since you can measure the entire spectrum from 400 – 750 nm with a bandwidth of 5, 10, 20, 40nm
  • Image ‘exotic’ and large Stokes shift fluorophores. The tunable emission width in combination with 405, 488, 561 or 640 nm lasers provide many acquisition options for a wide variety of fluorophores.

Technical description

 

Specifications

Microscope body

 Eclipse Ti2-E

Stage

 Automated

Piezo Drive

 Queensgate 600µm

Perfect focus system (PFS)

 Yes

Incubator

 Tokai Hit Stage top (25 – 50 ⁰C, CO 2, and humidity)

Objectives

Correction, Magnification, Numerical Aperture, Working Distance

 Plan Apo ʎ 4x N.A. 0.2 air, WD 20000 µm

 Plan Apo ʎ 10x NA 0.45 air, WD 4000 µm

 Plan Apo ʎ 20x NA 0.75 air, WD1000 µm

 Plan Apo ʎ 40x NA 1.15 water, WD 590-610 µm

 Plan Apo ʎ 60x NA 1.40 oil, WD 130µm

Software

 NIS Elements software (version 5.42.02: High content analysis package)

Lasers

 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, and 640 nm (LUA-S4)

Scanning modalities

 Galvano- up to 8k frame size

 Resonant- up to 4k frame size

Detectors

 DUX-VB

 418-475 nm multi-alkali PMT

 400-750nm GaAsP variable range (typically 499-543 nm, 571-625 nm)

 655-850 nm GaAsP

  IRIS 15

 15 Megapixel Camera

 4.25 µm x 4.25 µm Pixel Area

 Large 25 mm Diagonal Field of View

Filters

 DAPI filter- 447/57

 CFP filter- 482/35

 Cy5 filter -640 (Short Pass. For reflecting 640 emission to fixed detector.)

 Cy7 filter- 730 (Short Pass. For reflecting 730 emission to fixed detector.)

Dichroic mirrors

 405/488/561/640

Beam splitter

 80/20

Spectrum scanning

 400 – 750 nm

 bandwidth of 5, 10, 20, 40nm

 9-70 channels

 32PMT detectors

 

Location

ACTRI L2-W420