Nguyen Victoria, Rizzo John, Sanii Babak
Keck Science Department, Scripps College, Claremont, CA, United States of America.
Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2016 Dec 1;11(12):e0166735. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166735. eCollection 2016.
We introduce a multi-functional microscope for research laboratories that have significant cost and space limitations. The microscope pivots around the sample, operating in upright, inverted, side-on and oblique geometries. At these geometries it is able to perform bright-field, fluorescence and qualitative ellipsometric imaging. It is the first single instrument in the literature to be able to perform all of these functionalities. The system can be assembled by two undergraduate students from a provided manual in less than a day, from off-the-shelf and 3D printed components, which together cost approximately $16k at 2016 market prices. We include a highly specified assembly manual, a summary of design methodologies, and all associated 3D-printing files in hopes that the utility of the design outlives the current component market. This open design approach prepares readers to customize the instrument to specific needs and applications. We also discuss how to select household LEDs as low-cost light sources for fluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate the utility of the microscope in varied geometries and functionalities, with particular emphasis on studying hydrated, solid-supported lipid films and wet biological samples.
我们为预算和空间受限的研究实验室推出一款多功能显微镜。该显微镜围绕样品旋转，可在正立、倒置、侧视和斜向几何构型下操作。在这些构型下，它能够进行明场、荧光和定性椭圆偏振成像。这是文献中首款能够执行所有这些功能的单一仪器。该系统可由两名本科生根据提供的手册，使用现成部件和3D打印部件在不到一天的时间内组装完成，按2016年市场价格计算，总成本约为1.6万美元。我们提供了一份详细的组装手册、设计方法总结以及所有相关的3D打印文件，希望该设计的实用性在当前部件市场之后仍能长久存在。这种开放式设计方法使读者能够根据特定需求和应用对仪器进行定制。我们还讨论了如何选择家用LED作为荧光显微镜的低成本光源。我们展示了该显微镜在各种几何构型和功能中的实用性，特别强调了对水合、固体支撑脂质膜和湿生物样品的研究。
