with 9 state-of-the-art technological platforms
Advanced imaging methodologies:
Exploring Neuronal Activity with Advanced 2-Photon Microscopy
When delving into the intricate world of neuronal activity, it’s essential to maintain the integrity of your samples to preserve neuronal connections and physiological conditions. To achieve this, researchers often rely on thick tissue slices or live animals. They also harness a specific technique that enables them to observe fluorescence deep within these samples – the remarkable 2-photon microscopy.
Unlocking the Depths with 2-Photon Microscopy
2-photon microscopy is a groundbreaking technique that enables the observation of standard fluorochromes in-depth. It achieves this by exciting these fluorochromes using infrared light, thanks to a unique non-linear optical effect known as 2-photon absorption. This effect can only be harnessed using a special femtosecond pulsed laser and specific detectors strategically positioned in close proximity to the sample.
Exploring Two 2-Photon Systems at ICM
The ICM.Quant proudly offers access to two cutting-edge 2-photon systems, each tailored to meet your specific research needs:
VIVO Multiphoton (3i): VIVO Multiphoton Upright is an intravital imaging system for brain slice and in vivo multiphoton imaging. A flexible and modular design allows for the integration of best-in-class components from platform stages to scanheads to holographic photostimulation. VIVO Multiphoton Open is based on a movable objective microscope platform to provide ultimate flexibility and custom configuration. The system is optimized for mammalian intravital imaging while accommodating all-optical electrophysiology.
Ultima 2Pplus: With new advances in field of view, sensitivity, wavelength, and sample accommodation, the Ultima 2Pplus delivers an ideal combination of flexibility, resolution, imaging depth and speed, allowing users to perform simultaneous imaging, stimulation and electrophysiology protocols with greater efficiency and effectivity. The system is designed specifically for intravital imaging, with fully motorized control of the objective X-Y-Z position, as well as two axes of rotation for precise imaging orientation. A second scan path enables simultaneous imaging and photoactivation. The system’s optimized optical train confers exceptional performance to the very edges of the large field.
At the ICM.Quant, we provide the tools and technology you need to advance your studies in neuronal activity. Our 2-photon microscopy systems are here to help you explore the depths of neuroscience.
Optical Clearing and Light Sheet Microscopy
Unlocking the mysteries of complex biological processes often demands the ability to observe entire organs in three dimensions. However, imaging thick biological samples microscopically can be challenging due to their inherent opaqueness. This is where tissue optical clearing techniques come into play, transforming biological tissues into transparent wonders by reducing light absorption and scattering. This transformation allows for significantly deeper and more comprehensive observations, making the imaging of entire organs a reality.
Empowering Exploration with Light Sheet Microscopy
To capture the beauty of these large, transparent samples, light sheet microscopy emerges as the technique of choice. It offers rapid image acquisition with minimal photobleaching, revolutionizing the exploration of whole organ samples, including the brain, heart, lung, and kidney.
Your Partner in Optical Clearing
At the ICM.Quant, we not only provide access to cutting-edge technology but also offer training and expertise in sample preparation using RapiClear clearing protocols (for more information see
Sample Clearing). Our commitment extends to image acquisition, where we provide assistance and training on the Ultramicroscope Blaze from Miltenyi.
STED super-resolution
To understand the complexities of protein nano-distribution, one must utilize the capabilities of super-resolution techniques. STED (STimulated Emission Depletion) microscopy, a type of super-resolution microscopy, is a prime example. Our state-of-the-art STED microscope enables us to analyze beyond diffraction limits in both 2D and 3D dimensions.
STED microscopy utilizes an innovative approach that involves overlapping an excitation laser with a depletion laser, which is cleverly shaped like a donut. This shape induces a transition in fluorochromes, rendering them undetectable. By carefully synchronizing these two lasers in both time and space, we achieve a remarkable reduction in the point spread function (PSF) of our optical system, resulting in a significant enhancement in resolution.
Introducing our state-of-the-art FACILTY system, a user-friendly breakthrough in the field of micro- and nanoscopy.