Nikon N-STORM

The Nikon N-STORM microscope is an inverted, epi-fluorescence microscope capable of super-resolution imaging, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), highly inclined laminated optical sheet (HiLo) microscopy, and total internal reflection (TIRF) microscopy.

Main features:

• Perfect Focus System (PFS) to maintain sample focus
• Fully-motorized and programmable translation stage to capture multiple wells, locations or large images
• Cage incubator for long-term time-lapse imaging
• Fluorescence excitation with up to 4 laser lines
• Brightfield imaging
• Nikon JOBS to automate imaging
• Super-resolution imaging using STORM or PALM
• FRAP with up to 4 laser lines
• HiLo or TIRF to achieve thin optical sections or to only illuminate the fluorophores closest to the coverglass, respectively
• DoubleHelix phase masks to achieve greater z resolution
• Cairn TwinCam system to simultaneously image two colors

STORM super-resolution

The N-STORM system enables STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM), where fluorescent molecules are activated at random. A series of images with different populations of activated fluorescent molecules are captured. The position of each of molecule is then obtained using single-molecule localization on the computer. The final super-resolution image is then reconstructed from the measured localizations. This method allows enables visualization of individual molecules and biological structures that are too small to be imaged using conventional optical techniques.

STORM is an advanced technique that requires careful sample preparation and might not be suitable for every imaging application, so contact us to discuss your project.

FRAP

Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) is a technique that uses a laser to bleach a fluorescently labeled region. The fluorescence intensity within the region can then be measured over time to measure recovery. This technique can be used to measure molecule migration, for instance the recruitment of repair proteins to sites of photodamage.

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