Summary Adaptive optics methods have long been used to perform complex light shaping at the...Read More
Spatial Light Modulator 1-Photon Microscopy Kit
The 1-Photon SLM Microscopy Kit is a scan-less SLM-based epi-fluorescence upright microscope that enables three-dimensional calcium imaging and/or photoactivation of neurons in brain slices. The microscope can be used to excite and monitor activity of neuronal ensembles, enabling studies of neuronal circuit activity both in vitro and in vivo.
The use of spatial light modulators (SLMs) in microscopy allows for the three-dimensional (3D) excitation and monitoring of neuronal ensembles, facilitating studies of neuronal circuit activity in both controlled environments (in vitro) and living organisms (in vivo). Meadowlark’s 1-Photon SLM Microscopy Kit is a solution that assists researchers in getting results faster by providing custom specifications of preselected components for a system ready to work when it arrives.
Microscopes using SLM technology can precisely direct light within a 3D volume for experiments involving calcium imaging and photostimulation. Additionally, they support extended depth-of-field imaging techniques, enabling the mapping of the interconnectivity of neural circuits.
Conventional fluorescence microscopy illuminates a specimen evenly, allowing visualization of multiple colored fluorophores (chemicals that can emit light when exposed to light.) However, it has limitations in resolution and contrast due to high background intensity from out-of-focus regions.
Confocal microscopy, a popular imaging technique, addresses this issue by selectively illuminating and blocking out-of-focus light. It enhances optical resolution and contrast by using single-point illumination and a pinhole to filter unwanted signals. This method allows for the collection of light only from sections very close to the focal plane, enabling optical sectioning and three-dimensional reconstruction.
In traditional microscopy, fluorescence is produced by shining light of a specific wavelength on fluorophores, causing them to emit light at a higher wavelength. This process, using a single photon, is common in both traditional fluorescence and confocal microscopy.
Graphs & Figures
Volumetric Imaging Application Note
Summary In order to understand biological functions at a system level it is necessary to...Read More
Video: Meadowlark Spatial Light Modulators at Quantum 2.0 2023
Geometric-phase microscopy (GPM) uses changes in the phase of light passing through biological specimens to...Read More
Three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy with enhanced axial resolution
Summary We present two distinct, complementary methods for improving axial resolution in three-dimensional structured illumination...Read More
The logic of recurrent circuits in the primary visual cortex
Summary Incoming visual signals. Despite the importance of recurrent circuits for cortical processing, the basic...Read More
Targeted Activation of Hippocampal Place Cells Drives Memory-Guided Spatial Behavior
Summary The hippocampus is crucial for spatial navigation, spatial memory, and episodic memory formation. Hippocampal...Read More