The Hungarian company focuses on research and development, production, maintenance of 2D and 3D laser scanning microscopes and additional complementary modules. The product line ranges from specialized products for various forms of laser scanning microscopy, as well as upgrades and repair of microscope set-ups of other manufacturers.
The offered non-linear, laser microscope can improve our understanding of brain processes. This solution facilitates both the photochemical stimulation and measurement of the physiological activity of the brain, and the direct resolution of the neurons by the laser. The microscope is able to collect signal from different depths of the sample fast enough to resolve its functionality happening in its three dimensional space. During experiments using this device, researchers can examine the neural networks in both animal and human brain tissue. The operation of this modular microscope is based on a quantum mechanical phenomenon, the so-called "two-photon effect".
With traditional scanning microscopes, only a tiny, two-dimensional part of the brain slice may be examined at any one time. Spatial examination can be achieved only by performing large numbers of measurements whilst simultaneously raising and lowering the objective lens. This proves to be very slow and it provides information only on discrete cells, at discrete times.
Due to the two-photon effect, the system on offer obviates the need for mechanical movement, since the microscope captures the sample in the focal volume, rather than in the focal plane. Truly stereoscopic, very high resolution measurements may be achieved at four-magnitude-faster speeds. Examination of the mathematical operations in the extensions of a single neuron or of its physiological background processes are made possible when new information arises. The active photons propagated in the extensions of a single neuron, their emergence and their space-time additions may all be examined. Understanding these elementary processes helps us to understand the organization of the operation of entire neural networks.
Scanned samples are a maximum 800 x 800 x ±100 µm, with a maximum 300 cells being examined simultaneously, and a measurement interval of 0.001 sec.
Innovative Aspects:
" Current two-photon microscopes do not have the vertical scanning-speed necessary for neurophysiological measurements. Therefore, the functional measurement of neural networks is rather limited, as acceptable high-quality pictures, with good signal/noise ratios, require minutes to process. " During examination of the communication processes of neural networks, the proposed world-leading system scans the sample in the third dimension (along the vertical axis) in a fast and accurate manner, whilst also producing sharp images. " This is a brand new technology, not used by competitors. " The sensitivity is very high, and the associated control-software is both flexible and user-friendly. " The proposed system, including the microscope, may be tailored to suit unique research needs.The major manufacturers (Olympus, Zeiss etc.) either cannot do this at all or only within limitations. " This unique system totally suits the customer's needs.
