Re: High Content Screening

Posted by Csúcs Gábor on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/FRET-on-FV500-tp1337622p1345992.html

Dear Tino,

I think the idea of Julio Vazquez about forming a clear idea about your
needs is excellent.  Nevertheless as we have tested (and  use) a number
of screening microscopes I can still give you some hints.
There are 2 basic questions: What does high NA means for you? (Many
systems work with a 0.95 - or similar air objective). The camera
question is "easier" - almost all systems use a camera equipped with the
same Sony interline chip (same QE). What type of screens do you want to
perform: really high throughput (you need a plate loader), or just
single plates? In this second case you don't really need a specific
screening system - you can easily do it also with a "normal" motorized
microscope equipped with a motorized X-Y stage (and the necessary
software).
But to give also a more useful answer, I'm aware of the following
companies offering a screening microscope with a high NA air objective
(of course in many cases you can use them also with an oil-objective).

BD
Olympus Biosystems
PerkinElmer (= Evotec Opera)
Molecular Devices
GE Healthcare

I've never seen a system using an "automated" oil-immersion system. The
Opera has a nice water-immersion system, and as far as I know, Olympus
is also wroking on something similar. Leica has also developed a water
immersion system for their Matrix software - with which you make a
screening microscope from your Leca confocal (SP5).

Cheers    Gabor

--
Gabor Csucs
Light Microscopy Centre, ETH Zurich
Schafmattstrasse 18, HPM F16
CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland

Web: www.lmc.ethz.ch
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