Nikon A1R-MP plus Multiphoton Microscope

The Nikon A1R-MP plus instrument is an upright microscope with a 700-1080 nm pulsed laser (Coherent). The setup is designed to take advantage of illumination at long sample wavelengths to visualize and record thick samples. Specifically, in normal biological samples, the laser can stimulate fluorophores in 800 micron-thick samples. Dedicated detectors can be used to collect all regularly used visible fluorescent tracers. The working distance is up to 2 mm.

This microscope is ideal for fluorescent samples with thicknesses of >250 micrometers up to 2 mm. It works with blue, green, and near-red (TRITC) fluorophores. Examples of samples that are routinely analyzed with the Nikon A1R-MP microscope are sliced organ preparations expressing fluorescent proteins, organoids stained with fluorophores, or tissue sections that are rich in collagen fibers. For the latter sample, collagen can be made visible via second harmonic generation fluorescence without the need for a fluorophore.

The microscope can work also on immunofluorescently stained cells of a 3D culture. Short-term live imaging (<30 min, such as calcium imaging) can be performed on organotypic slices, tissue slices or full organisms (such as C. elegans) that are appropriately labeled (i.e. calcium dyes).

Responsible for the instrument: Dr. Agnes Thalhammer (researcher working in the field of molecular and cellular Neurosciences since 1998, with extensive expertise with cell culture, immunocytochemistry, optical microscopy, live imaging and data analysis of optical images).