Olympus unveils next-gen in vivo imaging system

The OV100 aims to tap into an emerging research trend that has seen a shift from basic to more applied clinical work that steps up from single cell analysis to increasingly complex tissues and whole body imaging.

Olympus achieves this by including four parfocal and parcentred objectives in a motorised carousel. Based on the size of the region of interest identified on-screen by the user, the best objective is automatically chosen and the image displayed.

Drug discovery wise, the OV100 is suitable for analysing preclinical models of drug response and for the direct study of the bio-distribution of compounds. In addition, the OV100 can also be used for stem cell research, cardiovascular experiments and tissue engineering.

This work in progress develops on concepts that embody the recently launched Olympus Macroview MVX10 microscope. The MVX10 uses a mono-zoom microscope which uses a single, large-diameter optical path optimised to collect the weak light generated by fluorescence at all magnifications.

The OV100's own range of magnifications (0.14x - 16x) allows identification of regions of interest in relation to anatomy before zooming down to the cellular level.

"Fluorescence microscopy is getting more and more popular because of the availability of green and red fluorescence proteins that characterise this technique,"​ said Dr Werner Kammerloher, microscopy product manager, >Olympus Life and Material Science Europa.

He told DrugResearcher.com:​ "Fluorescence techniques are ideal for the observation of these organisms because they are non-destructive and can be performed over long periods."​

The Green/Red Fluorescent Protein (GFP/RFP) has become an invaluable tool in cell biological research, because its intrinsic fluorescence can be visualised in living cells. GFP/RFP has been used in the expression of a gene and can be monitored in living cells by introducing a transgene in which its control sequences are linked to the GFP structural gene.

The researcher would essentially have an in vivo fluorescent protein, which may be followed in the living system.

The availability of GFP/RFP and its derivatives has thoroughly redefined fluorescence microscopy and the way it is used in cell biology and other biological disciplines.

While most small fluorescent molecules such as FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) are strongly phototoxic when used in live cells, fluorescent proteins such as GFP are usually much less harmful when illuminated in living cells.

This has triggered the development of highly automated live cell fluorescence microscopy systems which can be used to observe cells over time expressing one or more proteins tagged with fluorescent proteins.

"By using Olympus' MT_10D fluorescence illumination system and the relevant software, the OV100 can be used for high speed, multi-colour fluorescence observation at multiple positions over extended time periods,"​ added Kammerloher.

"With temperature control and anaesthesia equipment included, the OV100 is the tool for studying the phenotypic effects of transgenes or gene knock-downs, as well as carcinogenesis and metastasis."​

Fluorescence microscopy is essentially a conventional light microscope with added features and components that extend its capabilities.

A fluorescence microscope uses a much higher intensity light than a conventional microscope to illuminate the sample. This light excites fluorescence species in the sample, which then emit light of a longer wavelength.

A fluorescent microscope also produces a magnified image of the sample, but the image is based on the second light source - the light emanating from the fluorescent species - rather than from the light originally used to illuminate, and excite, the sample.

Already undergoing trials with eight different companies worldwide, the product is currently going through the process of fine-tuning. Kammerloher could not state a release date for the OV100 but was confident it would be available before the end of the year.