Biology Department, Winona State University, Winona, MN, USA.
Sci Rep. 2023 Mar 9;13(1):2722. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-29182-y.
Much of our understanding of cell and tissue development, structure, and function stems from fluorescence microscopy. The acquisition of colorful and glowing images engages and excites users ranging from seasoned microscopists to STEM students. Fluorescence microscopes range in cost from several thousand to several hundred thousand US dollars. Therefore, the use of fluorescence microscopy is typically limited to well-funded institutions and biotechnology companies, research core facilities, and medical laboratories, but is financially impractical at many universities and colleges, primary and secondary schools (K-12), and in science outreach settings. In this study, we developed and characterized components that when used in combination with a smartphone or tablet, perform fluorescence microscopy at a cost of less than $50 US dollars per unit. We re-purposed recreational LED flashlights and theater stage lighting filters to enable viewing of green and red fluorophores including EGFP, DsRed, mRFP, and mCherry on a simple-to-build frame made of wood and plexiglass. These devices, which we refer to as glowscopes, were capable of 10 µm resolution, imaging fluorescence in live specimens, and were compatible with all smartphone and tablet models we tested. In comparison to scientific-grade fluorescence microscopes, glowscopes may have limitations to sensitivity needed to detect dim fluorescence and the inability to resolve subcellular structures. We demonstrate capability of viewing fluorescence within zebrafish embryos, including heart rate, rhythmicity, and regional anatomy of the central nervous system. Due to the low cost of individual glowscope units, we anticipate this device can help to equip K-12, undergraduate, and science outreach classrooms with fleets of fluorescence microscopes that can engage students with hands-on learning activities.
我们对细胞和组织发育、结构和功能的理解在很大程度上源于荧光显微镜。丰富多彩和发光的图像的获取吸引并激发了从经验丰富的显微镜专家到 STEM 学生的用户。荧光显微镜的价格从几千到几十万不等。因此，荧光显微镜的使用通常仅限于资金充足的机构和生物技术公司、研究核心设施和医学实验室，但在许多大学、学院、中小学（K-12）和科学推广环境中在经济上是不切实际的。在这项研究中，我们开发并描述了组件，当与智能手机或平板电脑结合使用时，以每个单位低于 50 美元的成本进行荧光显微镜检查。我们重新利用了娱乐用 LED 闪光灯和剧院舞台照明滤镜，使我们能够在由木材和有机玻璃制成的简单框架上观察绿色和红色荧光团，包括 EGFP、DsRed、mRFP 和 mCherry。我们将这些设备称为 glowscopes，它们能够实现 10 µm 的分辨率，对活标本中的荧光进行成像，并且与我们测试的所有智能手机和平板电脑型号兼容。与科学级荧光显微镜相比，glowscopes 可能具有灵敏度限制，无法检测到暗淡的荧光，并且无法解析亚细胞结构。我们展示了在斑马鱼胚胎中观察荧光的能力，包括心率、节律性和中枢神经系统的区域解剖结构。由于单个 glowscope 单元的成本低，我们预计该设备可以帮助为 K-12、本科和科学推广教室配备可以让学生参与动手学习活动的荧光显微镜。
