By incorporating on-chip multiplication gain, the electron multiplying CCD achieves, in an all solid-state sensor, the single-photon detection sensitivity typical of intensified or electron-bombarded CCDs at much lower cost and without compromising the quantum efficiency and resolution characteristics of the conventional CCD structure.
Objective: UPlanSApo 100x oil/1.40 | Exposure: 100 ms |
Microscope: Olympus DSU/IX81 | Gain: 3 |
Camera: Hamamatsu ImagEM | Interval: 7 min |
Fluorescent probes can be attached to specific sub cellular components, such as the chromosomes and microtubules, for visualization of mitosis using standard epi-fluorescence microscopy techniques. The technology relies on the fact that fluorescent molecules absorb light at one wavelength and emit secondary (fluorescence) light at a longer wavelength. By employing a carefully selected combination of filters, the short wavelength light can be removed from the imaging pathway to produce strikingly beautiful images of the bright structures superimposed on a black background. In the digital video presented in this section, pig kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK1 line) expressing mCherry fluorescent protein fused to histone H2B (red fluorescence) and mEGFP fused to tubulin (green fluorescence) were imaged in 7-minute intervals during mitosis.