ZEISS Axio Observer for Life Science Research
Your open and flexible inverted microscope platform with AI assisted experiment startup
Life sciences research calls for reproducible data from a whole range of samples in a variety of conditions. ZEISS Axio Observer is your stable inverse platform for demanding multimodal imaging of living and fixed specimens, giving you:
- Ensured flexibility for technologies ranging from widefield to gentle super-resolution imaging
- Unique guidance through your experiments – from sample placement to selecting the perfect imaging modalities
- Increased efficiency thanks to a high degree of automation, economic light sources, and highest spectral flexibility

Highlights
Flexibility for Your Research
Life sciences research is a dynamic environment in which your imaging requirements are always changing. As your needs grow, Axio Observer stays with you step by step. It offers an abundance of interfaces for technologies ranging from widefield transmitted light to convenient 3D sectioning with Apotome 3, and sensitive superresolution imaging with Elyra 7 or LSM 980 and Airyscan 2. Choose the optimal incubation equipment and enjoy easy sample access for precise micromanipulation. A great variety of integrated options makes your Axio Observer both versatile now and entirely future proof.
Guidance for Your Workflows
You will be amazed how easy imaging becomes when the AI Sample Finder automatically detects the sample carrier, adjusts the focus, and finds your sample region. Even with low-contrast samples, you will quickly obtain an overview image to access relevant regions with just a click. Reduce the time to image from minutes to just seconds and start your experiment right away. Let Smart Setup and the Focus Strategy Wizard guide you through the experimental setup for easy and intuitive selection of the imaging modalities for your applications. Using ZEN Connect, acquired images can be easily combined with electron microscopy data and other modalities.
Efficiency for Your Experiments
Expect a remarkable increase in efficiency with the automation functions of Axio Observer. Use fast switchable LEDs or go for powerful and economic white-light sources in combination with the fast filter wheel for highest spectral flexibility and speed. Select the ideal camera from the dedicated ZEISS Axiocam portfolio or from third-party suppliers: You will always get the image quality and speed your applications require. With Definite Focus 3, focus drift during complicated experiments is a thing of the past. Whether keeping your sample in focus for long-term imaging or adapting your objective to your sample, it's all automatic with this highly organized system.
Product Features
AI Sample Finder
Automated sample identification for efficient imaging
Microscopes are becoming increasingly automated. For sample placement, however, microscope parts such as the condenser arm often have to be moved manually. Focus adjustment and identification of the relevant areas on the sample carrier require additional manual steps. The AI Sample Finder automates this sequence, eliminating time-consuming manual adjustments and reducing the time to image from minutes to just seconds.
You can access all sample areas directly which allows you starting your experiment faster than ever. The AI Sample Finder greatly improves productivity as you can easily image only those regions containing sample not overlooking potentially important areas.
Learn more about AI Sample Finder
Apotome 3
Optical sectioning using structured illumination
Create optical sections of your fluorescent samples –with structured illumination, removal of out-of-focus light becomes simple and efficient, allowing you to fully focus on your research. Apotome 3 recognizes the magnification and moves the appropriate grid into the beampath. The system then calculates your optical section from a number of images with different grid positions. It’s a totally reliable way to remove out-of-focus light, even in thicker specimens. Yet your system remains just as easy to operate as always. You get images with high contrast in the best possible resolution – simply brilliant optical sections.
Learn more about Apotome 3
Definite Focus 3
Keep a sharp eye on your goals
Acquiring time-lapse data from living samples can be tricky. Changing conditions such as room temperature influence the microscope as well as the sample carrier and can cause focus drift. Definite Focus 3 compensates for this drift and keeps your samples in focus. With higher accuracy and precision even your most challenging multi-day, multi-position time-lapse experiments will yield sharp and high contrast images.
Here’s how it works: an infrared LED is projected through a grid onto the bottom of the sample carrier. Any change in the focal position of the sample will be indicated by a change of the grid image on the carrier bottom. An integrated camera monitors the shift while the focus drive of the stand moves to compensate for the drift in real-time. Using ZEN imaging software, simply choose a focus strategy and set up your experiment: all compensation happens automatically in the background, without interfering with your acquisition.
Expand Your Possibilities
As your needs grow, you can always expand your Axio Observer. The flexible platform concept provides numerous defined and well documented interfaces. Upgrade new accessories from a broad portfolio of ZEISS solutions or third party offerings.






Discover Preconfigured Widefield Microscope Bundles
Tailored to your applications. Flexibly expandable as needed.
Choose from three attractive configurations specifically tailored to either live cell imaging, optical sectioning, or screening applications. Each bundle includes a perfectly matched selection of hardware and software to ensure an efficient workflow from image acquisition to data processing.
Typical Applications
Application | Task | ZEISS Axio Observer Function |
---|---|---|
Label-free live cell cultures |
Evaluate and document cell culture status |
|
Transfected live cell cultures |
Evaluate and document transfection rate and transfection stability |
|
Label-free fixed and thin tissue slices or small organism |
Document and evaluate cell and tissue morphology and growth state |
|
Reproductive or adherent cells and cell cultures |
Mechanical manipulation of cells (e.g. injection of germ cells), injection of dyes and other biologically active substances |
|
Living neuronal or muscular cell culture or tissue slices |
Observation of fast densitometric, ratiometric and electrical signals |
|
Fixed immunfluorescence labelled tissue or cell culture samples |
Identification, quantification and qualification of cell types, cell-, tissue and protein markers in 2D and 3D samples |
|
Multi-labelled living tissue section, organs, organotypic-, spheriod or cell culture preparations |
Long-term observation of physiological and morphological parameters in 2D / 3D |
|
Microbiomes, bacteria and yeast cultures |
Identification and characterisation of cell wall, cell cycle and host-parasite interaction |
|
ZEISS Axio Observer at Work
Lotus Japonicus Root Infected with Symbiotic Bacteria
University of Freiburg, Germany
Autofluorescence of a Lotus Japonicus root infected with symbiotic bacteria stained with mcherry. Sample courtesy of F. A. Ditengou, University of Freiburg, Germany.


Transgenic Zebrafish Larvae
Leibniz-Institute on Aging – Fritz-Lipmann-Institut e.V. (FLI), Germany
Transgenic zebrafish larvae at 4 days post fertilization staining for: Glial fibrillary acidic protein, acetylated Tubulin, GFP and DNA. Embedded in 1.2 % low melt agarose. Sample courtesy of H. Reuter, Leibniz-Institute on Aging – Fritz-Lipmann-Institut e.V. (FLI), Germany.


HeLa Cell Culture
HeLa cell culture with cytosolic eGFP. Proliferation imaged over 16 hours.
HEK 293 Cells
Long-term time lapse recording of 3 × 3 tiles with 240 s interval. Acquired with Axiocam 506 mono, stabilized by Definite Focus 3 at 10 s interval.
SK8 K18 Mouse Cells
Vimentin stained with Alexa 488 (green), nuclei stained with DAPI (blue).
Cortical Neurons
Leibniz-Institute on Aging – Fritz-Lipmann-Institut e.V. (FLI), Germany.
Cortical neurons stained for DNA, microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins.
SK8 K18 Mouse Cells
Vimentin stained with Alexa 488 (green), nuclei stained with DAPI (blue). Left image without correction of cover slip thickness, right with applied correction.


Downloads
ZEISS Axio Observer
Your open and flexible inverted microscope platform with AI assisted experiment startup
pages: 24
file size: 3989 kB
ZEISS Axio Observer Bundle for Live Cell Imaging
Matching the environmental conditions of life
pages: 2
file size: 1548 kB
ZEISS Microscope Bundle for Optical Sectioning
Creating crisp sections of thick samples with ease
pages: 2
file size: 489 kB
Technology Note: Plastic Labware for Optimal Results in Modern Life Science Microscopy
Using ZEISS Axio Observer and ZEISS Celldiscoverer 7
pages: 10
file size: 4920 kB
Axio Observer – Inverted microscope
Complete Operating Manual
pages: 192
file size: 11479 kB
Axio Observer – Inverted Microscope
Quick Reference Guide (Multilanguage)
pages: 122
file size: 5362 kB
Kính hiển vi ZEISS Axio Observer (Vietnamese Version)
Hệ thống kính hiển vi soi ngược nền tảng mở và linh hoạt với công nghệ AI hỗ trợ thiết lập thí nghiệm
pages: 24
file size: 5920 kB
Live cell 이미징을 위한 ZEISS Axio Observer 번들
생물 환경에 알맞은 조건 형성
pages: 2
file size: 1539 kB
Optical sectioning을 위한 ZEISS 현미경 번들
손쉽게 생성하는 두꺼운 샘플의 선명한 단면
pages: 2
file size: 938 kB
ZEISS Axio Observer (Turkish Version)
Yapay zeka destekli deney başlatma özelliği ile açık ve esnek ters mikroskop platformunuz
pages: 24
file size: 4066 kB
스크리닝 어플리케이션을 위한 ZEISS 현미경 번들
넓은 영역의 빠른 이미지 획득 및 분석
pages: 2
file size: 1066 kB
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