MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nikon Instruments Inc., an industry leader in super-resolution microscopy, is pleased to announce the release of two new super-resolution products: the next generation N-STORM 4.0 and N-SIM E, an all-new system for the individual lab. Nikon will showcase both systems at the Neuroscience 2015 conference in Chicago, October 18-21.
The N-STORM 4.0 is a next generation update to Nikon’s groundbreaking N-STORM super-resolution microscope system. Boasting ten times faster acquisition speeds compared to the previous version of N-STORM, N-STORM 4.0 enables imaging of live cells with nanoscale resolution.
Nikon is also meeting the needs of individual labs with the release of N-SIM E, an all-new super-resolution system streamlined to provide double the resolution of conventional microscopes at nearly half the price of a full-feature N-SIM system. Supporting only essential, commonly used excitation wavelengths and imaging modes, Nikon is able to provide this affordable yet powerful super-resolution option for individual labs.
“Super-resolution microscopy has greatly expanded the boundaries of imaging, empowering scientists to conduct research and make discoveries that seemed impossible just a decade ago,” said Steve Ross, Ph.D., General Manager, Products and Marketing, Nikon Instruments Inc. “Nikon is continually evolving our super resolution microscopy systems to meet the differing needs of scientists who are at the forefront of these breakthroughs, and the N-STORM 4.0 and N-SIM E were developed with these needs in mind.”
ABOUT N-STORM 4.0
Nikon has been a leader in the field of super-resolution microscopy since its groundbreaking Super Resolution Microscope N-STORM was first released in 2010. The updated N-STORM 4.0 system still combines “STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy” technology, licensed from Harvard University, with Nikon's Eclipse Ti research inverted microscope, providing 10-fold improvement in resolution compared to conventional light microscopes. However, the updated N-STORM is now capable of capturing images with approximately 10 times faster acquisition rates than the previous version of N-STORM – enabling researchers to now visualize the dynamics of structures in living cells at nanoscale resolution.
The improved features of the Nikon Super Resolution Microscope N-STORM 4.0 include:
- Dynamic Super-Resolution Imaging at the nanoscale level: N-STORM 4.0 improves image acquisition speed from minutes to seconds by improving excitation efficiency and the use of a sCMOS detector. With this improvement, researchers can now acquire images of living samples dynamically at 20nm resolution.
- Improvement of image quality: Newly developed illumination optics, improved laser excitation efficiency and increased image acquisition rate successfully enables the detection of higher numbers of molecules in a shorter period of time, resulting in superior STORM images.
- Expanded flexibility: Multiple choices in the field-of-view imaging speeds enable users to tailor the STORM experiment to their sample, whether it be high-speed imaging of live cells or gathering large fields of view of fixed cells.
ABOUT N-SIM E
The N-SIM E is the new streamlined and affordable super-resolution system designed for individual labs. Features include:
- Double the resolution of conventional optical microscopes: The underlying principle for achieving super-resolution is the same as Nikon’s full-feature N-SIM model, providing 2x improved resolution over conventional systems in all three dimensions (xyz), based on the structured illumination super-resolution technology originally licensed from UCSF.
- Multi-laser super-resolution capability: A streamlined acquisition system including a dedicated 3-line laser unit, newly designed SIM-E illuminator, and a sCMOS camera allows this system to achieve a super-resolution system priced for the individual lab.
Neuroscience 2015 attendees are invited to experience Nikon’s new super-resolution systems at Booth #1033.
ABOUT NIKON INSTRUMENTS INC.
Nikon Instruments Inc. is a world leader in the development and manufacture of optical and digital imaging technology for biomedical applications. Now in its 98th year, Nikon provides complete optical systems that offer optimal versatility, performance and productivity. Cutting-edge instruments include microscopes, digital imaging products and software. Nikon Instruments is one of the microscopy and digital imaging arms of Nikon Inc., the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology. For more information, visit www.nikoninstruments.com. Product-related inquiries may be directed to Nikon Instruments at 800-52-NIKON.