Nov 12 2013
Nikon, Inc. today introduced three innovative upgrades to the Nikon multiphoton systems, A1 MP+ and A1R MP+, enabling higher sensitivity detection and longer wavelength imaging. Following a growing demand for deeper tissue imaging and ability to image fluorophores that absorb two photons at longer wavelengths, Nikon has developed a new scanner for its flagship A1 multiphoton system that enables longer infrared (IR) wavelength imaging in the 1000-1300nm range.
Nikon has also improved their popular 25x 1.1 NA 2mm WD multiphoton objective lens for high transmission at these longer wavelengths. In addition, Nikon has developed a new GaAsP non-descanned detector which provides two-fold improvement in sensitivity over conventional non-descanned detectors, allowing researchers to detect weaker fluorescent signals -- a critical factor for deep tissue imaging where every photon emitted is valuable.
The three improvements combined provide researchers with a more flexible multiphoton imaging system that can image deeper, minimize photo damage and extend the range of fluorophores that can be imaged using multiphoton excitation. The system, available now, will be showcased at the 43rd Society for Neuroscience Meeting, taking place November 9-13 in San Diego.
"Various fluorophores have been developed in recent years that excite optimally at longer IR wavelengths, including one of the most widely used fluorescent proteins, mCherry. However, these fluorophores have remained relatively inaccessible for multiphoton imaging due to the limitations of laser sources and optics to produce and transmit the requisite longer wavelengths," said Stephen Ross, Ph.D, General Manager of Product and Marketing for Nikon Instruments, Inc. "With Nikon's new enhanced multiphoton system featuring a scan head and objective lens developed for imaging with longer IR wavelengths, users can now apply multiphoton imaging to a wider range of fluorophores using laser sources such as the InSight DeepSee laser from Spectra-Physics which offers 680 to 1300nm continuous tuning. This ability, in turn, enables greater flexibility in the design and execution of multi-channel imaging using multiphoton excitation."
The combination of the new A1 scan head and 25x objective lens not only enables the use of longer IR lasers to excite a wider range of fluorophores, but also allows significantly deeper penetration into the sample due to reduced light scatter at longer wavelengths. Use of longer IR wavelengths also minimizes photo damage -- studies have shown that photo damage is considerably reduced at these longer wavelengths. Combined with the new high-sensitivity GaAsP non-descanned detector, Nikon's A1 multiphoton system now provides researchers with the flexibility to image deeper, minimize photo damage, and extends the variety of fluorophores that can be imaged.
The new GaAsp non-descanned detector, A1 scanner and 25x 1.1 NA 2mm WD objective are all available now in Nikon's A1 multiphoton system. The standard descanned detector unit for Nikon's A1 confocal is also available with GaAsP detectors for improved sensitivity in conventional confocal imaging.
Press release avilable from http://www.globenewswire.com/
Source: http://www.nikoninstruments.com/