Nikon N-STORM
Brief description
N-STORM is a super-resolution microscope system suitable for any type of single molecule localization based super-resolution imaging such as: STORM (STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy), dSTORM, PALM, etc. It is based on a Nikon's Eclipse brand new external page Ti2 wide field inverted microscope.
The N-STORM super-resolution microscope provides dramatically enhanced resolution that is 10 times that of conventional optical microscopes, in the range of 10 to 20 nm and is suited also for multicolor and 3D super–resolution imaging.
The system is also suitable for TIRF applications, such as single molecule fluorescence and particle tracking, as well as photostimulation experiments and automated long-term, multi-position live cell imaging. The TIRF unit enables to view processes at the interface of the coverslip (adhesion, membrane fusion processes etc.). The system has a high speed function allowing for fast acquisition using the laser illumination.
Technical details
Microscope:
Microscope Platform external page Nikon Ti2 with Perfect Focus System
Excitation Sources:
Lumencor SpectraX LED fluorescent lightsource with 4 different filter cubes for conventional wide-field epifluorescence: DAPI, GFP, mCherry, Cy5
Available Lasers:
N STORM module- Ti-LAPP unit:
- This allows for the adjustment of the illumination angle, from EPI to TIRF and HiLO (highly inclined). The focusing of the laser at the back focal plane of the objective and the adjustment of the incident angle are fully controlled by the software, by monitoring the reflection beam. This automatic laser focus adjustment and incident angle adjustment can also be carried out by the auto-alignment function in NIS-Elements software. Incident angles and penetration depths of the evanescent fields can be saved and reproduced for subsequent experiments to ensure consistent imaging results.
- This module is configured with a gradation neutral density (ND) filter that can be moved into the light path to achieve an even field of TIRF illumination.
- Additionally, motorized magnifying lenses (1x, 2x, 4x and 8x) enable to easily adjust the excitation power and imaging field.
Objectives:
- CFI Plan Fluor DLL 10x NA = 0.3, WD 16 mm, Ph1
- CFI Plan Apo Lambda DM 20x, NA = 0.75, WD 1 mm
- CFI Plan Apochromat Lamda 60x, NA = 1.4, WD 0.13 mm
- CFI Plan Apochromat VC 60x, WI, NA = 1.20, WD 0.29 mm
- CFI Super resolution Apochromat TIRF 100x, NA = 1.49 oil immersion, WD 0.12 mm, with automated collar correction
- SR Apochromat TIRF 100x NA=1.49 oil immersion, designed to provide the highest quality point spread function
Camera / detectors:
- EM-CCD camera: ANDOR iXon DU897 (16 × 16 μm2 pixel size)
- sCMOS camera: Hamamatsu Orca Flash 4 v3 (6.5 × 6.5 μm2 pixel size)
- Photometrics Camera Dyno CCD, which allows to monitor the back focal plane of the objective
Software:
- NIS Elements Advanced research
- STORM imaging/analysis module integrated for image acquisition and reconstruction. During acquisition, live wide-field and reconstructed images (super-resolved) are displayed, as well as the number of localized molecules can be viewed in real time
Stage:
- Fully motorized with integrated Perfect Focus System (PFS) to maintain focus. This automatically corrects focus drift caused by temperature changes and mechanical vibrations that can be caused by a variety of factors, including the addition of reagents to the sample and multi-position imaging.
- Piezo controlled fast z-axis
Specifications:
- Super-resolution: lateral (x,y) 20–30 nm, axial (z) 50–60 nm
- 3D STORM Axial Range Per Single Data Set: ±500 nm (up to 20 localized planes)
Extra features:
- 3D Imaging with 50 nm Axial Resolution: In addition to lateral super-resolution, N-STORM utilizes astigmatism to achieve a tenfold enhancement in axial resolution to 50nm, effectively providing 3D information at a nanoscopic scale.
- Adaptive Optics Unit with the external page MicAO module from external page Imagine Optic.
- Mutilcolor super-resolution imaging with a combination of dyes, such as Alexa 647 and Alexa 568, Cy3, Cy5, ATTO 647N, etc.
- The flexible platform allows combination with incubators for live-cell imaging and FRAP, under the control of the universal NIS-Elements software
- A Confocal arm, using the new technology of external page Re-scan with the external page RCM system from external page confocal.nl
Manuals: