Molecular Devices Introduces Real-Time Super-Resolution System for MetaMorph Software

Molecular Devices® has announced the release of MetaMorph® Super-Resolution System with synchronized image acquisition and processing, enabling analysis of object details smaller than 250 nanometers in fixed and live cells. The new system features real-time image processing with its GPU accelerated hardware, expanding the capabilities of optical microscopy in research and supports numerous scientific applications, from time-lapse studies to 3-D investigations.

Using light microscopy alone, images of biological matter smaller than 250 nanometers appear blurred and, as a result, are virtually impossible to analyze. Super-resolution microscopy can help to overcome the limits of light microscopy by reconstructing images at a resolution surpassing the diffraction limit of the objective lens. With patent-pending image processing techniques, the new MetaMorph Super-Resolution System is capable of 20 nm lateral resolution in real-time.

The new system is exclusively licensed from the Center for Scientific Research and University of Bordeaux in France, and builds on the powerful and flexible MetaMorph Software. The user-friendly software guides researchers through setup, acquisition, and analysis, with a dedicated workspace in the user interface ensuring that relevant configuration and display settings are readily accessible. Side-by-side displays and image statistics provide a multifaceted view of the quality and progress of image acquisition and processing. For added flexibility, a unique hardware acceleration component supports fast acquisition and analysis with real-time super-resolution image display. An optional “offline” mode allows super-resolution processing of previously acquired images. The system is compatible with most fluorescence and TIRF microscopes.

“High resolution images can now be processed and displayed in real-time with researchers no longer having to wait to view their results until all images have been processed post acquisition”, said Jean-Baptiste Sibarita, team leader at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS-Univ. Bordeaux, France. “The affordability of this revolutionary system also means that more laboratories will be able to access advanced microscopy techniques, stimulating new research and important discoveries.”

The new system will be showcased at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in San Francisco, CA, December 15-19, 2012.

Image Source: cos7 cells : mouse beta tubulin antibody : antimouse alexa 647
Adel Kechkar, Deepak Nair, Daniel Choquet, Jean-Baptiste Sibarita.
University of Bordeaux, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297, F-33000 Bordeaux, France