From Gene to Cell – from Cell to Embryo
- Fig. 1: The unique Leica TSC LSI combines high resolution from micro to macro, a large workspace, and a large field of view. It opens new pathways for in vivo studies.
Anja Schué, Leica Microsystems
Modern developmental biology is an emerging field of research, studying the dynamics of cell growth, differentiation processes and the development of organs in vivo. Thus, an increasing number of scientists extend their focus of bio-research from single cell studies to entire organisms, analysing the complex interaction within whole animals. These studies require an imaging system which provides high resolution, a large workspace, and a large field of view. A pioneering imaging system provides all these featuresin one: the Leica TCS LSI.
In vivo – large scale imaging
The large scale imaging platform adapts perfectly to the experiment needs of living specimen analysis. True confocal technology is used to provide crystal clear images of highest spectral resolution, revealing finest details of the model organism, no matter if drosophila fly, mouse, zebra fish, plant or other model. An automated optical zoom system allows for seamless magnification change, easy switching from overview to details and free 3D navigation through the specimen. Comfortable specimen handling is provided by generous workspace.
High resolution from macro to micro
The time for preparation, pre-selection and orientation of the specimen is reduced enormously as macro and high-resolution confocal are combined in one in vivo system. Entire new experiments become possible. By avoiding the transportation between different imaging tools, stress to living specimens is reduced, the survival rate increased. The Leica TCS LSI visualises cell growth and the fascinating differentiation of cells into organs in real life from cell to embryo –from embryo to adult.
Making life visible in 4D
Time resolved 4D processes – e.g. protein interactions or influence of drugs in bio-medical research– can be easily studied at highest resolution as advanced time lapse software is provided. The Leica LAS AF Live Data Mode offers perfect automation for cell development studies.
A novelty in confocal imaging even for large specimens is the tremendous working distance of 97 mm and a field of view of 16 mm provided by the 1x apochromatic macroobjective. Additionally, high resolution compound objectives can be adapted to use the Leica TCS LSI as a classical confocal.
- Fig. 2: The motorised optical zoom offersthe advantage of flexible magnification toidentify the finest details of model organisms,e.g. eye of the drosophila larva.
- Fig. 3: The fathers of the first super-zoom confocal system: Didier Hentsch (left), microscope specialist at the IGBMC , and Dr. Jean-Luc Vonesch, Head of the IGBMC Imaging Centre in Strasbourg, France.
IGBMC and Leica Microsystems
Successful innovations need an idea to spark them off and professionals to put them into practice. In the case of the Leica TCS LSI it was the collaboration between the IGBMC (Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire), one of Europe’s leading biomedical research centres, and Leica Microsystems that enabled its development. For over ten years a close and productive relationshiph as existed between the IGBMC and Leica which has brought enormous benefits to both sides.
Combined expertise
The IGBMC Imaging Centre owns more than 400 microscopy systems. Its founder and manager, Dr. Jean-Luc Vonesch, buys all the light microscopes and confocal systems from Leica Microsystems. The institute is one of the first to use Leica Microsystems’ latest technologies. This provides valuable feedback from experienced users so that products can be improved and further developed. The cooperation goes further than this, though. Eight years ago, Vonesch and microscopy specialist Didier Hentsch already had the idea of developing a microscope for in vivo studies that combined the advantages of macroscopy with those of high-resolution fluorescence technology. The result was the Leica MacroFluo™. The special thing about the MacroFluo™ concept is the combination of the long working distances and object fields of a stereomicroscope with the vertical light path typical of microscopes. This guarantees absolutely parallax-free imaging and a maximum of precision for examining whole in vivo models.
From the idea to an integrated system
A few years later, the time was ripe for the next innovation: the combination of macroscopy and confocal technology. After three years’ development time and three prototypes, the Leica TCS LSI was ready for the market. “Right from the start, Leica Microsystems helped us to realise our ideas,” says Vonesch, “We discussed what we were envisaging and followed the project through together from the idea to the integrated system by excellent cooperation with product management.” Today, the Leica TCS LSI is put to extremely successful use at the IGBMC, e.g. for exploring arteriosclerosis or the cause of thrombosis in mice. “And we’re already working on improvements for the next generation of instruments,” adds Vonesch.
- Fig. 4: Seamless zooming in and out. The 16:1 super zoom offers the largest agnification range from 0.57x to 9.2x. The Leica Z-zoom systems are fully apochromatic and allow continuous and parallax-free magnification adjustment.