One white-light illuminator supports various types of fluorescence observations (Patent pending)
The white-light TIRF system enables TIRF microscopy using mercury lamps. By exciting a confined depth, TIRF enables imaging of fluorescence images with a much higher S/N ratio than is possible using the epi-fluorescence method. The integration of a TIRF system and epi-fluorescence system enables the use of:
White-light TIRF,
Oblique illumination fluorescence*,
Epi-fluorescence, and
SRIC methods.
All modes use the same light source and switching them is simple.
* Increasing the angle of incident light to slightly more than that of TIRF allows a deeper range of observation in the area near the coverglass.
Clathrin coated vesicles images
Epi-fluorescence image White-light TIRF image
Specimen: GFP-tagged clathrin expressed in COS cells
Images courtesy of Daniel Axelrod Ph,D., University of Michigan and Stephen Ross, Ph,D
Easy multiple-wavelength imaging
As this system uses a light source with a broad wavelength range, such as mercury illumination, by simply switching filters, TIRF observations are possible at a variety of wavelengths. |