System Upgrades for Nikon's Inverted Microscope Ti

As use of lasers, photo-detectors, and PCs has spread, multiple illuminators, optical equipment and cameras have been used more and more in concert with inverted microscopes. The Nikon Inverted Microscope Ti responds to this market demand by utilizing a special stratum structure to allow the simultaneous use of multiple modules without modifying the microscope body. In addition to the tier with the illuminator, one more tier can be added with an optical apparatus that meets a variety of applications to enable a more flexible use. Moreover, the Ti-E allows simultaneous mounting of the PFS (Perfect Focus System) real-time focus correction system in addition to multiple optical apparatuses.

Example: In addition to the PFS, a photo activation module (upper tier) and a back port (lower tier) are mounted.

System I
Simultaneous two-wavelength FRET imaging with multiple cameras

Using FRET (Forster Resonance Energy Transfer) technique, intermolecular interactions between molecules within close proximity of one another can be detected and measured. Utilizing stratum structure of the inverted microscope Ti, two filter turrets can be mounted and controlled individually. Therefore, each FRET channel can be separated by wavelength and sent to separate cameras using the optional back port to simultaneously capture FRET images with different wavelengths. This enables the capture of high-resolution images in the entire frame for each wavelength. Even when intensity difference between wavelengths is large, a high-quality FRET image can be captured by adjusting camera sensitivity for each wavelength.

• Photos courtesy of: Kenta Saito and Takeharu Nagai, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University

Back port can be attached as an option.

FRET analysis of intercellular calcium concentration

Imaging histamine-evoked Ca²⁺ release in mammalian cells reported by a FRET-based Ca²⁺ indicator, YC3.60

• Photos courtesy of: Kenta Saito and Takeharu Nagai, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University

System II
Simultaneous acquisition of fluorescence and brightfield images

The stratum structure of Nikon's inverted microscope Ti allows the mounting of two filter turrets. This two-tier filter turret configuration allows simultaneous image capture of fluorescence and brightfield images. A camera on the back port can capture brightfield images, while a camera on the side port can capture fluorescence images.