A high gain fluorescence microscope is developed to meet the needs in medical and biological research. By the help of an image intensifier with luminance gain of 4 by 10⁴ the sensitivity of the system can achieve 10^-6 1x level and be 10⁴ times higher than ordinary fluorescence microscope. Ultra-weak fluorescence image can be detected by it. The concentration of fluorescent label and emitting light intensity of the system are decreased as much as possible, therefore, the natural environment of the detected call can be kept. The CCD image acquisition set-up controlled by computer obtains the quantitative data of each point according to the gray scale. The relation between luminous intensity and output of CCD is obtained by using a wide range weak photometry. So the system not only shows the image of ultra-weak fluorescence distribution but also gives the intensity of fluorescence of each point. Using this system, we obtained the images of distribution of hypocrellin A (HA) in Hela cell, the images of Hela cell being protected by antioxidant reagent Vit. E, SF and BHT. The images show that the digitized ultra-sensitive fluorescence microscope is a useful tool for medical and biological research.

Date Published: 12 December 1997
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 3173, Ultrahigh- and High-Speed Photography and Image-based Motion Measurement, (12 December 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.294540

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3173:
Ultrahigh- and High-Speed Photography and Image-based Motion Measurement
C. Bruce Johnson; Andrew Davidhazy; James S. Walton; Takeharu Goji Etoh; C. Bruce Johnson; Donald R. Snyder; James S. Walton, Editor(s)