Point-scanning and Spinning-disk confocal systems are well established technologies and are known for their advantages in image quality and speed respectively. But what if you could have both?
The NL5+ from Confocal.nl contains a slit pinhole that increases acquisition speed dramatically by scanning a full line at a time instead of a point. Due to the speed of the scanner, your samples will not be exposed to the laser for a long time, preventing photobleaching and phototoxicity. In addition, the high quantum efficiency of the modern sCMOS camera means less overall excitation power is needed, giving a high signal-to-noise ratio image without signs of phototoxicity or bleaching.
Contrary to spinning-disk systems, another advantage of the NL5+ and its slit pinhole is that it does not lead to pinhole crosstalk when imaging deep within the sample. The NL5+ reaches 240 nm lateral resolution which can be easily converted into 170 nm with on the fly deconvolution. The NL5+ is an excellent add-on to any research microscope. It allows for converting a wide-field system into a fast scanning confocal with high resolution and sensitivity.
The all new filter wheel unlocks up to six channels. Using a high speed filter wheel, the NL5+ allows users to quickly switch between up to six channels which can be optimized based on your needs by the team here at AVR Optics for exceptional results.
How NL5+ improves your imaging experience
- Integrated emission filter wheel (6 positions) for multiple colours
- See up to six different types of molecules per acquisition
- High sensitivity and resolution (170 nm after deconvolution)
- High contrast deep 3D imaging without pinhole cross-talk
- NL5+ runs at a speed of 25 fps (full frame)
- Live cell friendly
- Hardware integration into third-party software
- Compact & easy to use
Fast scanning speed, low levels of phototoxicity
In the field of biology, some natural processes happen fast, like cell and protein dynamics and cell-cell interactions. You won’t catch these if you’re imaging at 1 fps but the NL5+ will with 25 fps at full FOV. In addition, researchers in developmental biology, regeneration or immunology fields often need to image large live samples (mouse embryos, zebrafish, organoids) for a long time without losing any detail of the cell’s behaviour. In that case, a combination of speed and a low phototoxicity system like the NL5+ is perfect.
The NL5+ does not cause any pinhole cross-talk, as it has only one slit pinhole. Pinhole cross-talk is associated with spinning disk systems, because they contain a disk with multiple pinholes combined and the out-of-focus light can sometimes pass through the adjacent pinholes. This effect is more evident when imaging deep within the sample, making the NL5+ the ideal system for those applications.
NL5+ is a cost-effective solution that can be coupled to any research microscope via the c-mount interface.
Mouse embryo in 140μm depth at E5.5 cultured in vitro for 24 hours. Stained with DAPI (blue), Phalloidin488 (green) and pHH3-647 (magenta).
Sample courtesy of Nanami Satoh, MRC LMB, Cambridge, UK
7 days old Arabidopsis thaliana root expressing nuclei targeted green calcium sensor
Sample courtesy of Dr Mayuri Sadoine and Prof Guido Grossmann, ICIB, Heinrich Heine University
Actin dynamics in A. thaliana root epidermis cells expressing LifeAct-mCitrin
Sample courtesy of Marjorie Guidchard, Milan Zupunski and Guido Grossmannfrom ICIB, University of Dusseldorf