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| Accessories for fluorescence microscopy |
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The components of the fluorescence microscope described until now are available as modules and can be easily integrated into a microscope or any other model. The main components are the HBO 50 or HBO 100 illuminators (1), the reflected-light illuminator (2) and the reflector slider (3). The reflected-light illuminator contains a barrier and filter slider (2a) and the variable iris for the setting of the illuminated field (2b).
The main difference between the epi-fluorescence illuminator and the reflected-light illuminator is the omission of the diffusion disk in fluorescence because it would unnecessarily reduce the excitation intensity. In “proper” reflected-light microscopy, however, this disk is required for homogeneous illumination. In fluorescence, the red-attenuation filter is used to eliminate the sometimes disturbing red and infrared light portions before they reach the specimen.
The reflector slider permits up to three filter sets to be mounted for different fluorescence markers. This makes changeover very easy.
Multifluorescence is now being increasingly used for the marking of specimens. This method makes different structures light up in different colors which can be viewed separately – each on its own. The reflector slider can be used to change between the images. However, it is easier to use special filter sets which permit the simultaneous viewing of two or three markers in one image.
A type of simple fluorescence:
DAPI is excited in near UV with 365 nm and emitted in the violet-blue spectral range. The marking reveals cell nuclei and particularly the chromosomes
(Planapo 63x/1.40 oil)
Specific marking for medical diagnosis:
Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC) linked with the antinuclear factor HEP 2).
(Plan-Neofluar 40x/1.30 oil)
continue with: Hints
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