Vladimirov Nikita, Voigt Fabian F, Naert Thomas, Araujo Gabriela R, Cai Ruiyao, Reuss Anna Maria, Zhao Shan, Schmid Patricia, Hildebrand Sven, Schaettin Martina, Groos Dominik, Mateos José María, Bethge Philipp, Yamamoto Taiyo, Aerne Valentino, Roebroeck Alard, Ertürk Ali, Aguzzi Adriano, Ziegler Urs, Stoeckli Esther, Baudis Laura, Lienkamp Soeren S, Helmchen Fritjof
Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
University Research Priority Program (URPP) Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning (AdaBD), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
bioRxiv. 2023 Dec 12:2023.06.16.545256. doi: 10.1101/2023.06.16.545256.
In 2015, we launched the mesoSPIM initiative (www.mesospim.org), an open-source project for making light-sheet microscopy of large cleared tissues more accessible. Meanwhile, the demand for imaging larger samples at higher speed and resolution has increased, requiring major improvements in the capabilities of light-sheet microscopy. Here, we introduce the next-generation mesoSPIM ("Benchtop") with significantly increased field of view, improved resolution, higher throughput, more affordable cost and simpler assembly compared to the original version. We developed a new method for testing objectives, enabling us to select detection objectives optimal for light-sheet imaging with large-sensor sCMOS cameras. The new mesoSPIM achieves high spatial resolution (1.5 μm laterally, 3.3 μm axially) across the entire field of view, a magnification up to 20x, and supports sample sizes ranging from sub-mm up to several centimetres, while being compatible with multiple clearing techniques. The new microscope serves a broad range of applications in neuroscience, developmental biology, and even physics.
