ANALYTICAL TOOLS FOR CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY

							              ANALYTICAL TOOLS FOR CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY

                             Martin Hoppe, Lioba Kuschel
                            Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
                                  Am Friedensplatz 3
                             D 68165 Mannheim, Germany
                     E-mail: martin.hoppe@leica-microsystems.com
                        lioba.kuschel@leica-microsystems.com

Key words: Spectral Confocal Microscopy, FLIM, FCS, live cell imaging, two photon
microscopy

Leica Microsystems beam scanning laser confocal microscopes have recently been extended
beyond imaging to serve as analytical tools in Molecular and Cell Biology as well.

The concept of integrating and optimizing FLIM (Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging) and FCS
(Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy) in the Leica TCS SP2 AOBS Spectral Confocal
Microscope is discussed. The precision and flexibility of integration allows coping with a
wide range of experimental conditions, which is demonstrated by a variety of application
examples.

Additionally, recent enhancements of sensitivity of the confocal optics and detection system
for low-level live cell and molecular imaging and for maximizing penetration depth in two
photon microscopy are discussed.