Structured Illumination 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 SI Confocal System

Placement of counting frames over a multi-channel confocal montage for sophisticated stereology
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, Structured Illumination / Confocal systems maximize value.
  • The Spinning Disk Confocal system 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.