Multiphoton Confocal Microscope System A1 MP+

Deep Specimen Imaging with High-sensitivity Non-Descanned Detectors (NDD)

The fluorescence emissions from deep within a specimen are highly scattered in multiphoton excitation, and therefore the conventional detector using a pinhole cannot provide bright fluorescent images. The episcopic NDD in the A1R MP+ is located close to the back aperture of the objective to detect the maximum amount of scattered emission signals from deep within living specimens.

In vivo image of deep areas of cerebral cortex of a mouse

The cerebral cortex of an H-line 5-week-old mouse was studied with the open skull method. The entire shape of dendrites of pyramidal cells in layer V expressing EYFP were visualized from the bottom layer into a superficial layer. In addition, the fluorescence signal of white matter in deeper areas was also studied.

Mouse cerebral cortex multi-color imaging

Simultaneous acquisition of three channels in anesthetized YFP-H mouse using IR excitation of 950 nm and imaging Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) and two fluorescence emissions.
Cyan: SHG signal of dura mater
Yellow: EYFP pyramidal neurons in layer V of the cortex
Red: SRB-labeled blood vessels

Photographed with the cooperation of:
Drs. Ryosuke Kawakami, Terumasa Hibi and Tomomi Nemoto, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University

3D volume rendering images
Three-dimensional volume renderings of a kidney labeled with Hoxb7/myrVenus marker (Chi et al, 2009 Genesis), using depth-code pseudocolor volume rendering to reference Z depths (pseudocolored by depth – 1 μm step for 550 μm).

Objective: CFI Apochromat 25xW MP, Scan zoom: 1x, Z step size: 1 μm, IR excitation wavelength: 930 nm 
Image resolution: 1024×1024 pixels, Image volume: 460 μm (length) x 460 μm (width) x 600 μm (height)
Photographed with the cooperation of Dr. Frank Costantini and Dr. Liza Pon, Columbia University Medical Center, New York

1300nm Imaging

In addition to the GaAsP NDD compatible with a wavelength of 1080nm, there is a new model for upright microscopes that is compatible with a wavelength of 1300 nm. This new NDD enables deep imaging up to 1.4 mm in combination with a newly developed scanning head A1R MP+ that is compatible with a wavelength of 1300 nm.

Deep brain imaging in in vivo mouse with the GaAsP NDD compatible with the 1300 nm wavelength

Photographed with the cooperation of: Drs. Ryosuke Kawakami, Terumasa Hibi and Tomomi Nemoto, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University

In vivo imaging of an anesthetized YFP-H mouse (4-week-old) via open skull method. Visualization of the entire layer V pyramidal neurons and the deeper hippocampal neurons. Deep imaging achieved for 3-dimensional imaging of hippocampal dendrites up to 1.4 mm into the brain.

Captured with episcopic GaAsP NDD for 1300 nm and CFI75 Apochromat 25xW MP1300 objective lens (NA 1.10, WD 2.0 mm)
Excitation wavelength: 1040 nm

Mouse brain in vivo dual color imaging with the GaAsP NDD compatible with the 1300 nm wavelength

The cerebral cortex of an anesthetized YFP-H mouse (4-week-old) was studied with the open skull method.
Alexa594 was injected into the tail vein to visualize the blood vessel.

Photographed with the cooperation of: Drs. Ryosuke Kawakami, Terumasa Hibi and Tomomi Nemoto, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University

 Nikon High-NA Objectives are Ideal for Multiphoton Imaging

High-NA objectives have been developed that highly correct chromatic aberrations over a wide wavelength range, from ultraviolet to infrared. Transmission is increased through the use of Nikon’s exclusive Nano Crystal Coat technology.

In particular, the CFI75 Apochromat 25xW MP/MP1300 objective lenses provide an industry leading highest numerical aperture of 1.10 while still maintaining a 2.0 mm working distance. They also have a collar that corrects spherical aberrations depending on the depth of the specimen and a 33° manipulator pipette access angle, making it ideal for deep multiphoton imaging and physiology research applications.
Nano Crystal Coat is a Nikon exclusive lens coating technology using an ultralow refractive index nanoparticle thin film originally developed for the semiconductor fabrications industry. The Nano Crystal Coat particle structure dramatically reduces stray reflections and boosts transmission over a wide wavelength range, producing images with higher signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios.

CFI75 Apochromat 25xW MP CFI Apochromat LWD 40xWI λS

CFI Apochromat 40xWI λS CFI Plan Apochromat IR 60xWI

CFI Apochromat LWD 20xWI λS

Objectives for multiphoton microscopy

Auto Laser Alignment when Changing Multiphoton Excitation Wavelength

When the multiphoton laser wavelength or group velocity dispersion pre-compensation is changed, the multiphoton laser beam positional pointing at the objective back aperture may also change, resulting in uneven intensity across the image, or a slight misalignment between the IR and visible laser light paths.

Verifying the IR laser beam pointing and setting the alignment has traditionally been difficult. The A1R MP+ auto laser alignment function, housed in the Incident Optical Unit for the multiphoton excitation light path, automatically maximizes IR laser alignments with a single click in NIS-Elements C.