Electrophys stages for confocal microscopy?

[Craig Brideau]

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http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

We will soon be building a video-rate confocal microscope with an
electrophys stage to do simultaneous imaging and electrophys work.  I
was wondering what electrophys stages people were using for this sort
of thing?  We were looking at Luigs and Neumann stages, but I don't
see that any of them have Z-axis movement.  What are people using for
focus and stage access in this sort of arrangement?  I'd assume the
stage would have to be able to be raised and lowered, but I don't see
any obvious mechanism for this in the stages I have thus far seen.

Thanks,

Craig

[John Herlihy]

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I assume this is the typical upright Ephys rig with water dipping
objectives.  Typically the focusing on these types of scopes is achieved
via the nosepiece.  Therefore, the stage does not need a z axis.  For
patching etc on multiple locations simultaneously, often people utilize
a large fixed platform.  The scope is attached to a XY translator
allowing the scope to move independent of the tissue, and again the
focusing is achieved via the nosepiece.

Thanks,

J.D. Herlihy
Research and Imaging Specialist
Optical Analysis Corporation
Three Bud Way, Suite #25
Nashua, NH 03063-1700
800-588-6054
Cell: 508-965-8894

[Craig Brideau]

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

We are trying to use a confocal/multiphoton system in addition to the
usual DIC imaging for placing the electrodes.  This complicates the
issue of moving the nosepiece somewhat.  Since we are doing laser
scanning moving the nosepiece requires moving the entire scanhead.
Also, fiber-coupling an ultrafast laser is difficult so it is
typically ported into the microscope as a freespace beam.  This also
limits how much we can move the microscope.  Are there any thoughts or
solutions to this problem that anyone has come up with?

Thanks,

Craig


On Nov 17, 2007 6:42 AM, John Herlihy <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> I assume this is the typical upright Ephys rig with water dipping
> objectives.  Typically the focusing on these types of scopes is achieved
> via the nosepiece.  Therefore, the stage does not need a z axis.  For
> patching etc on multiple locations simultaneously, often people utilize
> a large fixed platform.  The scope is attached to a XY translator
> allowing the scope to move independent of the tissue, and again the
> focusing is achieved via the nosepiece.
>
> Thanks,
>
> J.D. Herlihy
> Research and Imaging Specialist
> Optical Analysis Corporation
> Three Bud Way, Suite #25
> Nashua, NH 03063-1700
> 800-588-6054
> Cell: 508-965-8894
>