Confocal SD System Hardware

MBF Bioscience has the first and only system that offers quantitative histology with a specifically designed confocal microscopy stereological analysis system. The ability to combine high-resolution multi-channel confocal imaging with stereology analyses opens new horizons in quantitative histology. The system allows investigators to perform quantification using multiple fluorescent labels and colocalization – allowing greater specificity in targeted cell populations and in analyzing larger amounts of data from each experiment.

Stereo Investigator is fully integrated with the microscope system — including camera, stage, focus, shutter and filterwheel control

Hardware components of the Olympus BX51-DSU System

Advantages of the Stereo Investigator Confocal SD System

Sampling layout for the optical
fractionator displayed at low magnification
on a multi-channel montage.

Speed of image capture with the spinning disc confocal makes it many times faster than conventional laser capture systems.
At a price that is substantially lower than laser line scan systems, SD confocal systems maximize value.
The SD contains a spinning disk with a pattern of slits that creates a virtual pinhole as the disk spins at 3,000 rpm.
To optimize the trade-off between confocality and light throughput, the Olympus SD uses an arc lap illumination source for maximum excitation wavelength flexibility at a reasonable cost (which when not used for stereology, can be used as a normal bright-field microscope).
Maximum speed acquisition of microscope fields (up to 11 frames a second) minimizes photobleaching – of particular importance for multi-channel capture from a large number of microscopic fields in the same tissue section required for stereology.
Fits up to 5 standard Olympus filter cubes in the six position filter turret, up to 10 filters in external motorized filterwheel.
Computer controlled excitation and emission filterwheels.
Confocal images can be collected with objectives from 2x to 100x.