Zeiss LSM 980 equipped with Airyscan 2 technology

A new generation of efficient confocal imaging system that achieves fast, low phototoxicity, and multiplex imaging

To observe life activities as undisturbed as possible, your 3D cell culture, cell spheres, organoids, and even entire biological models need to have low-density labeling, combined with optical sectioning, low phototoxicity, and high-speed 3D imaging technology. In addition, to obtain statistically significant data, you need to repeat the experiment: therefore, in the near future, you will need a higher experimental throughput.

The LSM 980 using Airyscan 2 technology is an ideal confocal 4D imaging platform. After optimization, it can detect weak signal markers with up to 900nm emission light at higher light efficiency and achieve multi-channel simultaneous detection. Airyscan 2 technology with Multiplex mode provides more imaging options for your experiments. You can optimize the settings to easily achieve ultra-high resolution and larger observation field imaging in a shorter acquisition time than before. A large number of software assistants can optimize workflow, support efficient image acquisition and data management.

　　Product advantages

Provide high-level imaging for your research

Use multi-color fluorescent labeling from 380 nm to 900 nm.

Spectral flexibility with up to 36 synchronous channels.

By using Airyscan 2 Multiplex, more information can be obtained in a shorter amount of time.

The AI Sample Finder system can quickly locate areas of interest.

Smart Setup can optimize imaging and detector settings.

NLO, NIR, Cryo, and SIM2 imaging will expand your research.

　　Quickly obtain better data

The Multiplex mode of the Zeiss Airyscan 2 allows for obtaining more information in a shorter amount of time. Intelligent lighting and detection solutions can break through the diffraction limit, achieve high difficulty 3D sample imaging at high frame rates, and have low phototoxicity, making them suitable for sensitive samples. Nowadays, by combining the flexibility of point by point scanning confocal microscopy with the speed and low phototoxicity of Airyscan high-sensitivity surface array detectors, you can obtain ultra-high resolution images at ten times the imaging speed, and find answers to your scientific questions.

DNA staining (blue, Hoechst 44432), microtubule staining (yellow, fluorescently labeled microtubule protein antibody Alexa 488), and fibrous actin staining (magenta, ghost pen cyclic peptide Abelio STAR Red). The use of Zeiss Airyscan 2 technology in the Multiplex mode enables efficient and high-resolution imaging of large fields of view. The samples were provided by A. Politi, J. Jakobi, and P. Lenart from the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in G ö ttingen, Germany.

The LSM 980 can complete high difficulty sample imaging, achieving both "fish and bear paw". The LSM 9 series adopts an efficient optical path, with up to 36 channels that can be synchronously sampled, and has full spectral flexibility including the near-infrared (NIR) range. Additionally, if paired with Airyscan 2, this revolutionary array detector can extract more information from your sample in a shorter amount of time. This allows you to image weak signals with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 4-8 times. You don't have to shrink the pinhole to achieve ultra-high resolution, which increases the light efficiency of 3D imaging.

DAPI (blue) and microtubule protein antibody Alexa 700 (red). Alexa 700 uses near-infrared light detector for imaging. The samples were provided by Urs Ziegler and Jana Doehner from ZMB, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

　　Improve the efficiency of workflow

Complex live cell confocal imaging experiments have never been so easy. ZEN software can provide a lot of assistance based on your commands to achieve reproducible results in a very short amount of time.

The AI Sample Finder system can help you quickly find the area of interest, giving you more time to conduct experiments. Smart Setup can optimize imaging settings based on your fluorescent labeling. The Direct Processing function allows for simultaneous image acquisition and data processing. Whether during imaging or during post sharing of the entire experiment, ZEN Connect allows you to have full control at any time.

　　Principles of Airyscan Technology

The traditional confocal laser scanning microscope uses point illumination technology to scan the sample in sequence. The optical components of the microscope convert each point into an Airy pattern. Pinholes prevent non focal plane signals from reaching the detector. Reducing the pinhole can provide higher image resolution, but the cost is that the number of detected photons will be reduced, and these photons cannot be compensated by methods such as deconvolution.

Airyscan 2 is a surface array detector with 32 concentric detection elements, which helps you collect most of the Airyscan spots at once. The confocal pinhole will remain open and will not block any signal from entering, allowing for the collection of more photons and resulting in higher light efficiency during imaging. Airyscan 2 provides low light toxicity ultra-high resolution imaging and high sensitivity.

　　The working principle of Airyscan 2's new multiplex mode

The LSM 9 series equipped with Airyscan 2 from Zeiss provides you with more choices to meet your imaging speed and image resolution needs for experiments. You can combine confocal array detectors with intelligent lighting and different image acquisition forms to choose from different imaging modes. The new Multiplex mode utilizes the shape of the excitation spot and the position of the surface array detector unit to extract more spatial information, even during the process of reading parallel pixels. This can extract more information when the laser scans through the observation field, thereby improving the achievable image acquisition speed. In fact, the large amount of spatial information captured in the pinhole plane can be better than the image resolution of image sampling to reconstruct the final image. In Multiplex mode, Airyscan 2 can simultaneously capture four ultra-high resolution image scan lines with high SNR in a single scan. The LSM 980 using Airyscan 2 technology can expand the laser point and achieve eight line parallel imaging. By utilizing this speed advantage, it is possible to achieve fast time series imaging of single-layer light cutting, fast jigsaw puzzles of large areas, or fast time series imaging of large volume objects.