Leica Stellaris 8

Leica Stellaris 8 is our most recent confocal microscope with multiple advanced modalities, such as live cell imaging, fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM), SpectraPlex high-plex imaging and LIGHTNING deconvolution super-resolution imaging. Its strengths span multiple areas such as high speed, high resolution, high sensitivity and flexible signal detection, temporally resolved signal unmixing (for signal with overlapping emission spectra), 3D high-multiplexing (up to 15-plex), as well as gentle yet precise Z-stacking.

Magnification	Numerical Aperture (NA)	Immersion	Free Working Distance (um)	XY Resolution at 488 nm (um)	Z Resolution at 488 nm (um)	Cover glass thickness (mm)
20x	0.75	Air (Dry)	620	260.27	648.63	0.17 (#1.5)
40x	1.3	Oil	240	150.15	299.1	0.17 (#1.5)
63x	1.4	Oil	140	139.43	235.82	0.17 (#1.5)
86x	1.2	Water	300	162.67	290.28	0.14-0.19 (#1-1.5)

Name	Spectral Range (nm) of Highest Sensitivity Relative to Other HyDs	Best for
HyD S	<550	General fluorescence, photon-counting
HyD X	550-750	Weak fluorescent signal, FLIM, photon-counting, high temporal resolution imaging
HyD R	750-825	Far-red fluorophores
Trans PMT	400-750	Transmitted light imaging e.g. brightfield

Other specifications

Model: DMi8 microscope
Acousto-Optical Beam Splitter (AOBS): allows fast flexible and precise wavelength transmission without switching hardware; offers better excitation/emission separation than traditional beam splitting mirrors
Live imaging incubation chamber and component control unit: CO2, humidity and temperature controlled
Super Z Galvo stage: high speed, low vibrations, and high precision for real-time Z-stacking
USB Control panel: allows quick adjustment on users’ pre-defined settings e.g. smart intensity, gain, zoom factor, pinhole, and Z position etc.

Unique features

Leica Stellaris 8 is our most versatile confocal microscope available at the CDI, with multiple attractive features that push the boundaries of conventional confocal microscopy.

It enables fast, high-resolution visualization of both fixed and live samples in multiple colors, while minimizing crosstalk and hardware-related artifacts.

This ensures high-quality results and empowers researchers to explore unprecedented temporal and spatial information in 3D.

Contact the Centre for Dynamic Imaging to book equipment or discuss imaging collaborations.

imaging@wehi.edu.au

Zeiss LSM 980 with Airyscan 2

A next generation confocal for fast and gentle 4D imaging.

The Zeiss LSM 980 with Airyscan 2 confocal microscope at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute is one of the first available in the world. The new Airyscan detector module with the Definite Focus.2 and Z-Piezo drive offers unrivalled flexibility in fast, high resolution live cell imaging in a familiar confocal setup.

The system is compatible with most sample holders and contains all necessary accessories for environmental control, for example, CO2, humidity and temperature control.

Online booking

Objectives

Light sources

Diode laser – 405 nm
Argon laser – 445 nm, 488 nm and 514 nm
Diode pumped solid state laser – 561 nm
HeNe Laser – 594 nm
HeNe laser – 639 nm
HAL 100 Illuminator
HXP-120 120 V

Detection source

32 channel GaAsP array detection
2 x MA-PMT
Airyscan 2 detector
Transmitted-PMT

Magnification	10x	20x	40x	63x	63x
NA	0.45	0.8	1.3	1.4	1.2
Immersion media	Air	Air	Oil	Oil	Water
XY-resolution (µm) (@ 488 nm)	0.661	0.372	0.229	0.212	0.248
Z-resolution (µm) (@ 488 nm)	4.819	1.524	0.876	0.755	0.902
Working distance (mm)	2.000	0.550	0.21	0.140	0.28

Technological specifications (capabilities)

Available modalities

Z-stack
Time-series
Tile scan
Multi positions
Spectral linear unmixing
Online fingerprinting
FRAP
Airyscan 2 detection
Fast Airyscan

Unique features

The brand new Airyscan 2 detector enables the fastest point-scanning confocal system on the market. Operating at up to 10 fps with the resolution of standard confocal or better with high Signal-to-Noise.

Contact the Centre for Dynamic Imaging to book equipment or discuss imaging collaborations.

imaging@wehi.edu.au

Zeiss LSM 880 Fast Airyscan Confocal

A high speed, high resolution microscope for investigating dynamic processes in living cells.

The Zeiss LSM 880 with fast Airyscan confocal microscope is the essential confocal platform for live cell imaging. The unique combination of the Airyscan detector module with the Definite Focus.2 and Z-Piezo drive offers unrivalled flexibility in fast, high resolution live cell imaging.

The system is compatible with most sample holders and contains all necessary accessories for environmental control (for example, CO2, humidity, and temperature control).

Equipment booking

Above: Magnified snapshot of a mammary gland during lactation. The yellow patterns are tiny muscles that contract and release, helping to squeeze milk into the mammary ducts. Purple flecks in and around the structures are immune cells on high alert for any threats in order to help keep the breast tissue healthy. Credit: Caleb Dawson

Above: A Zeiss LSM 880 microscope at WEHI

Hardware

Light sources

Diode laser – 405 nm
Argon laser – 458 nm, 488 nm and 514 nm
Diode pumped solid state laser – 561 nm
HeNe Laser – 594 nm
HeNe laser – 633 nm
HAL 100 Illuminator
HXP-120 120 V

Detection sources

32 channel GaAsP array detection
2 x MA-PMT
Airyscan detector
Transmitted-PMT

Magnification	10x	20x	40x	63x	63x
NA	0.45	0.8	1.3	1.4	1.2
Immersion media	Air	Air	Oil	Oil	Water
XY-resolution (µm) (@ 488 nm)	0.661	0.372	0.229	0.212	0.248
Z-resolution (µm) (@ 488 nm)	4.819	1.524	0.876	0.755	0.902
Working distance (mm)	2.000	0.550	0.21	0.140	0.28

Technological specifications (capabilities)

Available modalities

Z-stack
Time-series
Tile scan
Multi positions
Spectral linear unmixing
Online fingerprinting
Single point FCS
FRAP
Airyscan detection
Fast Airyscan

Additional hardware

Z-Piezo drive
Definite Focus.2

Unique features

The Zeiss LSM 880 combines the fast Airyscan modality with the Z-Piezo drive system to offer fast live cell three-dimensional imaging.
The Definite Focus.2 module provides one of the most robust systems for live time-lapse imaging.

Contact the Centre for Dynamic Imaging to book equipment or discuss imaging collaborations.

imaging@wehi.edu.au

Leica SP8 Resonant Scanning Confocal

The Leica SP8 is a high speed, high resolution microscope for investigating dynamic processes in living cells.

The Leica SP8 Resonant Scanning Confocal microscope is suitable for live cell imaging with subcellular resolution. The system contains a resonant scanning confocal mode allowing for fast imaging of dynamic cellular processes

The system is compatible with most sample holders and contains all necessary accessories for environmental control, for example, CO2, humidity and temperature.

Equipment booking

Above: Blood vessels sprouting out of a piece of lab-grown bone can be live-imaged, allowing researchers to better understand how blood vessel growth is controlled. Credit: Zoe Grant

Above: Blood vessels converging at the centre of the retina. Credit: Sabrina Lewis and Leigh Coultas

Objectives

Light sources

Diode laser – 405 nm
Argon laser – 458 nm, 488 nm and 514 nm
Diode pumped solid state laser – 561 nm
HeNe Laser – 594 nm
HeNe laser – 633 nm

Detection sources

3 x PMT
2 x HyD detector

Magnification	10x	20x	40x	40x	63x	100x
NA	0.4	0.75	1.3	1.1	1.4	1.4
Immersion media	Air	Water/Glycerol	Oil	Water	Oil	Oil
XY-resolution (µm) (@ 488 nm)	0.744	0.396	0.229	0.270	1.212	0.212
Z-resolution (µm) (@ 488 nm)	6.099	2.311	0.876	1.974	0.755	0.755
Working distance (mm)	2.2	0.68	0.24	0.65	0.140	0.28

Above: Researchers are studying the architecture and cellular composition of the structures that branch from the end of mammary ducts – the sites where breast cancer usually arises. Credit: Bianca Capaldo

Above: This image, captured on the Leica SP8, shows a section of tissue staining for different proteins that play essential roles during development. Credit: Zoe Grant

Technological specifications (capabilities)

Available modalities

Z-stack
Time-series
Tile scan
Multi positions
FRAP

Additional hardware

FRAP

Above: Fluorescent marking can be used to trace how a single rogue cell can give rise to the many cells in a tumour. While studying the development of breast cancer, researchers found these spectacular fluorescent hairs forming luminous roads. Imaged on a Leica SP8 confocal microscope and processed using Imaris software (Bitplane). Credit: Caleb Dawson

Above: Researchers study the genes involved in myogenesis (a process of muscle formation) to develop therapies for treating disorders such as muscular dystrophy. In this image myoblast cells are fluorescently stained with DAPI (yellow) to stain the nucleus and with Sidt2-FITC labelled antibody (pink) to stain the cytoplasm. Credit: Marilou Barrios

Above: Researchers have used the Leica SP8 to study blood vessels endothelias cells in the small intestine, to better understand how blood vessels develop. Credit: Evelyn Trounson, Zoe Grant, Leigh Coultas

Above: In this image masses of immune cells (macrophages) are indicated in bright green. The lone blue ring is a cell nucleus, all that remains after a macrophage has detected and consumed a threat (bacteria or viruses). The adjacent red dot is an ASC speck, which indicates that the macrophage called for backup in its final moments. Credit: Dom De Nardo

Contact the Centre for Dynamic Imaging to book equipment or discuss imaging collaborations.

imaging@wehi.edu.au

Centre for Dynamic Imaging

Leica Stellaris 8

Objective information

Light sources

Detectors

Other specifications

Unique features

Limitations

Related microscopes

Centre for Dynamic Imaging

Zeiss LSM 980 with Airyscan 2

A next generation confocal for fast and gentle 4D imaging.

Objectives

Technological specifications (capabilities)

Unique features

Limitation

Related microscopes

Centre for Dynamic Imaging

Zeiss LSM 880 Fast Airyscan Confocal

A high speed, high resolution microscope for investigating dynamic processes in living cells.

Hardware

Technological specifications (capabilities)

Unique features

Limitation

Related microscopes

Case studies

Experts

Professor Kelly Rogers

Dr Niall Geoghegan

Centre for Dynamic Imaging

Leica SP8 Resonant Scanning Confocal

The Leica SP8 is a high speed, high resolution microscope for investigating dynamic processes in living cells.

Objectives

Technological specifications (capabilities)

Unique features

Limitations

Acknowledgement

Related microscopes

Case studies

Experts

Professor Kelly Rogers

Dr Niall Geoghegan

Selected publications