OMX Structured Illumination Microscopy
The ability of a conventional light microscope to distinguish between two points is limited by the theoretical limit to resolution as defined by Abbe in 1873.
The technology used by OMX circumvents this limitation and can generate images with a resolution approximately twice normally possible - to 100nnm in xy and 200nm in z. In real terms, this means that biological structures that were once indistinguishable from one another can now be identified as separate entities.
Structured illumination microscopy involves illuminating the sample with a known pattern caused by interfering beams of light, rather than a single uniform beam as in a conventional microscope. When this known pattern is combined with an unknown sample structure a moiré pattern is generated that contains more, lower frequency observable features (than the normally unobservable high-resolution information visible by conventional illumination).
By imaging multiple cross-sections of the specimen using structured illumination and then computationally removing the known light patterns from the observed, the data is deconstructed into a higher resolution image, revealing otherwise hidden features of the specimen.
A human HeLa cell with fixed and stained microtubules (red/Alexa594), pericentrin (green/Alexa488) and DNA (blue/DAPI). The same cell has been imaged using conventional microscopy, and is shown here before (left) and after (middle) deconvolution, or using the OMX microscope Structured Illumination protocol and reconstruction (right).
To view examples visit our Image Gallery
OMX Live-Cell Imaging
For many projects it is the imaging of live tissues and cells that provides the most insight in to the understanding of the biological processes involved. This live-cell approach has provided many new challenges to the microscopist as we try to capture images that accurately report on a dynamic process in both space and time whilst keeping living samples alive!
To meet these challenges OMX has been equipped with a piezoelectric stage, very fast and extremely sensitive cameras and shutters capable of acquiring 100 images per second and a digital signal processor to ensure precise timing and control over all aspects of image acquisition.
To view examples visit our Image Gallery
