Simply stunning alternative to laser-scanning confocal

Belfast, Northern Ireland, 18 June, 2014

Andor Technology Ltd., an Oxford Instruments company and a world leader in scientific imaging and spectroscopy solutions, today announced the launch of the DSD2, the very latest confocal in their Revolution series. The Revolution DSD2 is a compact, laser-free confocal module that can be fitted to most fluorescence microscopes, old and new. This second generation of the DSD makes significant improvements to what was already a successful product, placing it firmly as an alternative option to laser scanning confocals for routine confocal imaging. With the addition of Andor sCMOS camera technology it delivers a large field of view and high dynamic range for stunning image quality. As DSD2 uses a broadband white light source instead of lasers it can image any fluor by selection of filters and is extremely cost-effective to purchase and maintain.

Egg-chamber from Drosophila melanogaster at stage 10. Visible is thelarge oocyte with its tiny meiotic nucleus. Stained are: DAPI (blue) to show the DNA, WGA-657 (green) to show membranes, primarily visible are nuclear membranes. Also stained by fluorescent in situ hybridization is the oskar mRNA that is enriched at the posterior cortex . Detection: Cy3-coupled tyramide amplification. Captured using 25x objective with 0.8 numerical aperture.

Tested with a number of different microscopes, including the novel combination with fluorescence macroscopes and stereomicroscopes, the Revolution DSD2 produces high contrast, high quality 3D images every time. Now with three confocal settings, the DSD2 provides complete flexibility for use across the full magnification range, making it ideal for fields such as developmental biology, neuroscience, embryology, and plant biology. The DSD2 handles fixed samples with ease, and is also very capable of imaging robust live cell and embryo specimens.

Cilia labelled in ependymal cells with tubulin antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence. 1) Acetylated tubulin (cilia labelling)/ Alexa 488, 2) Détyrosinated tubulin (cilia labelling)/ Cy3, 3) Tyrosinated tubulin (cilia labelling in pseudo color magenta)/ Cy5, 4) Cell nuclei stained with Hoescht Courtesy of Dr Saoudi, GIN, Grenoble.

Dr. Geraint Wilde, Product Specialist for Microscopy Systems at Andor Technology, says "We are really excited about the future with the DSD2. Our early experience already has users telling us that the performance is as good as, if not better than, the laser scanning confocal systems they use, and at a fraction of the cost. This product will appealing to those who would like to add a confocal to an existing microscope in their lab, allowing them to avoid the expense of core facility charges and the hassle of booking around other users. It will also interest those wishing to replace ageing point scanning. However, most significant is the impact on productivity. Being camera based, the DSD2 captures large, high resolution images around 10 times faster than laser scanning technology, so the researcher is able to work through sample sets quicker, and obtain results sooner."

Further Information :http://www.andor.com/microscopy-systems/revolution-dsd

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