Olympus IV-100 Intravital Laser Scanning Imaging System

描述(申请人提供)：本申请是为了申请购买奥林巴斯IV-100单光子激光扫描共聚焦系统的资金，该系统专为活体动物的深层组织荧光成像而设计。利用精确校正横向和轴向色差的高数值孔径微探针光学镜头，IV-100通过在一台仪器中结合以下关键功能，为迄今为止在同一动物的多个器官中成像细胞事件的挑战性问题提供了解决方案：(1)通过微创手术切开直接进入埋藏良好的内脏，(2)通过可调节的共焦孔径对标本进行Z切面和三维绘制，(3)感兴趣区域激光扫描，(4)选择顺序扫描模式以消除荧光团之间的发射串扰，(5)完全集成和优化的光路，以利用近红外成像的优越穿透深度和低自发荧光窗口；(6)单细胞分辨率；(7)用于多参数成像的多色荧光探头；(8)与其他显微内窥镜相比，高信噪比、超低像素化成像。因此，这种仪器允许用户在不同的时间点同时监测同一动物体内难以接触到的器官在细胞水平上的生物事件。西北大学细胞成像设备被奥林巴斯选为评估该仪器的三个国家高级植入站点之一。我们不仅利用这次机会获得了这一新型成像技术的独特专业知识，还为奥林巴斯进一步改进这一仪器提出了许多建设性的建议，以适应多种实验应用的需要。我们现在做好了充分的准备，可以从IV-100中获得最大的好处，并帮助推进小动物成像方法的发展。 相关性：奥林巴斯IV-100可能是一种范式塑造工具，它将极大地增强许多翻译研究项目的实验指令集，例如在癌症转移、血管生成、疾病进展的研究中，以及在测试各种药物治疗的有效性方面。它通过微创切开对活体标本进行光学切片的能力为研究人员提供了前所未有的能力，可以在多个时间点以三维方式检查各种生物结构。IV-100是表征植入支架结构以促进细胞生长、为药物输送设计的纳米材料以及免疫排斥程度的重要仪器；它将极大地加速组织工程、药物输送和生物纳米技术领域的发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is to request funds to purchase the Olympus IV-100 single-photon laser scanning confocal system designed for deep-tissue fluorescent imaging in live animals. Utilizing high numerical aperture microprobe optical lenses accurately corrected for lateral and axiochromatic aberrations, the IV-100 provides solutions to hitherto challenging problems of imaging cellular events in multiple organs of the same animals by combining the following key features in one instrument: (1) Direct access of miniaturized optical probe to well-buried internal organs through minimally invasive surgical incisions, (2) Z-sectioning and three-dimensional rendering of the specimen through adjustable confocal aperture, (3) region of interest laser scanning, (4) the choice of sequential scan mode to eliminate emission crosstalk between fluorophores, (5) fully integrated and optimized light path to take advantage of the superior penetration depth and low autofluorescence window of near-infrared imaging, (6) single cell resolution, (7) multi-color fluorescent probe for multi-parametric imaging, and (8) high signal-to- noise ratio, ultra low pixilation imaging compared to other microendoscopes. This instrument thus allows users to simultaneously monitor biological events at the cellular levels, in hard-to- access organs within the same animals at various time points. The Northwestern University Cell Imaging Facility was selected by Olympus to be one of the three national advance placement sites to evaluate this instrument. We not only took advantage of this opportunity to gain unique expertise in this novel imaging technique, but made numerous constructive suggestions for Olympus to further improve this instrument to suit the need of a multitude of experimental applications. We are now well-positioned to reap the maximum benefits from the IV-100, and to help advance the methodology of small animal imaging. Relevance: The Olympus IV-100 is potentially a paradigm-shaping instrument that will greatly enhance the experimental repertoire of many translational research projects such as in the studies of cancer metastasis, angiogenesis, disease progression, as well as in testing the efficacy of various drug treatments. Its ability to perform optical-sectioning in live specimens through minimally invasive incisions offers investigators an unprecedented ability to examine various biological structures in three dimensions at multiple time points. The IV-100 is a vital instrument for characterizing the architecture of engrafted scaffolding to promote cell growth, nano-materials designed for drug delivery, and also the extent of immuno-rejection; it will significantly accelerate the fields of tissue engineering, drug delivery and bio-nanotechnology.