Integrated Twin Epi-Flourescence System

描述（由申请人提供）：学习和记忆的细胞研究， 和突触传递受到标准光学 几十年前开发的配置。时尤其如此 考虑到当今的荧光显微镜技术， 光学输入路径提供宽视场照明。比如说 离子成像与UV光解的集成受到损害， 必须迫使激发进入光路， 落射荧光照明。本项目的目标是测试 开发双照明路径的可行性， 荧光显微镜，以允许实验所需的多功能性 今天和明天。我们将：1）设计并建造一条双照明通道 可以和现在的立式显微镜结合在一起2)测试光学 每个照明路径的视场平坦度、全场特性 照明和透光性能。3)确定的可靠性 用于定位孔和UV传输光纤的电机控制 耦合机构中的一个照明路径。4)测试和评估 采用“穿透式”光学系统监测激光位置的可行性 用于光解的照明光束。5)测试双照明系统， 光解实验和监测快速钙瞬变的研究。 拟定商业应用： 这种双发光系统在科学上有许多潜在的应用：同时成像与局灶性消融或光解，并通过包括孔在一个臂的激发途径，它将有可能使用一个路径的限制场激发的快速变化的钙在神经元过程的测量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cellular studies of learning and memory, and synaptic transmission are significantly hampered by standard optical configurations that were developed decades ago. This is especially true when considering present day, fluorescence microscope technology where a single optical input pathway provides wide-field illumination. For example, the integration of ion imaging with UV photolysis is compromised since focal UV excitation must be forced into the optical pathway that was designed only for epi-fluorescence illumination. The goal of this project is to test the feasibility of developing a twin-illumination pathway for fluorescencemicroscopes to allow the versatility necessary for the experiments of today and tomorrow. We will: 1) Design and build a twin-illumination pathway that will integrate with present day upright microscopes. 2) Test the optical properties of each illumination pathway for flatness of field, full-field illumination and light transmission properties. 3) Determine the reliability of motor control for positioning apertures and a UV transmitting optical fiber coupling mechanism in one of the illumination pathways. 4) Test and evaluate the feasibility of using "pass through optics to monitor the location of laser illumination beams for photolysis. 5) Test the twin-illumination system in photolysis experiments and in studies to monitor fast calcium transients. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: This twin-IIumination system has many potential applications in science: simultaneous imaging together with focal ablation or photolysis, and by including apertures in one arm of the excitation pathway, it will be possible to use one pathway for restricted field excitation for measurement of fast changes in calcium in neuronal processes.