The Swept Field Confocal Microscope

扫场共焦显微镜

• 批准号: 8002256
• 负责人: Michael J Szulczewski
• 金额: $ 61.71万
• 依托单位: PRAIRIE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-06-11 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8002256
• 关键词: Action Potentials; Award; Behavior; Benchmarking; Biological Products; Cells; Cellular biology; Computer software; Data Analyses; Data Collection; Development; Devices; Electronics; Event; Fluorescence; Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; Funding; Goals; Image; Laser Microscopy; Laser Scanning Microscopy; Life; Marketing; Measurement; Methods; Microscope; Neurons; Neurosciences; Optics; Pathway interactions; Phase; Physiological; Process; Property; Reading; Resolution; Sales; Scanning; Scientist; Signal Pathway; Signal Transduction; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Speed; System; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Time; Toxic effect; base; cellular imaging; charge coupled device camera; computerized data processing; data acquisition; design; improved; instrument; nervous system disorder; open source; public health relevance; spatiotemporal

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): A primary goal in neuroscience is to understand at a mechanistic level the functioning of neuronal networks with specific behaviors. This involves in general, the anatomical connectivity among the various types of neurons within the local network, the physiological properties of these cells, and the spatiotemporal firing signals of the neurons within the circuit. The challenge is not only to discover the connectivity among neurons but also to effectively record the signal activity within the neuronal network during a behavior in such a way as to provide functional information. Since 2001 Prairie Technologies, Inc. has been designing, building, refining and selling a new type of confocal scanning system, the Swept Field Confocal microscope (SFC). SBIR Phase I and II awards have provided the funding necessary for Prairie to develop an entry level product for the biological marketplace. Due to successful completion of all of our Phase I and Phase II goals, we have been able to sell over 60 units totaling to sales of $6,000,000.00 for the company. Recently we have been able to develop a worldwide sales channel for the SFC with Nikon Instruments, Inc. Because of high speed and low toxicity, the SFC is now gaining in sales popularity in the neuro and cell biology fields. In order to provide more functional information, we propose to further improve the speed of the SFC and simplify its ease of use for the scientists and to increase the amount of applications that can be performed with the instrument such as Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). In particular, we would like to add quantitative techniques such as Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) for the study of dynamic processes and FRET analysis. By completing the specific aims outlined in this proposal, the SFC can not only perform as a confocal microscope, but have capability to provide dynamic information about the local neuron network with high resolution. In addition, with completion of this project Prairie can achieve increased product sales of the SFC into the $200 million annual world-wide laser scanning microscopy market. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: A primary goal in neuroscience is to understand at a mechanistic level the functioning of neuronal networks with specific behaviors, which can be used to characterize neurological disorders. Such studies require the ability to identify the signaling networks and noninvasively study the dynamics within living cells. The improved Swept Field Confocal microscope system will provide such capabilities to record the spatiotemporal information in real time of normal and diseased processes and to study the cellular dynamics with additional information about the microenvironment and signaling pathways detected with Fluorescent Lifetime Imaging.

描述（由申请人提供）：神经科学的主要目标是在机械层面上了解具有特定行为的神经元网络的功能。这通常涉及到局部网络中各种神经元之间的解剖连通性，这些细胞的生理特性以及电路中神经元的时空触发信号。面临的挑战不仅是要发现神经元之间的连通性，而且还要以提供功能信息的方式有效地记录神经元网络中的信号活动。自2001年以来，Prairie Technologies，Inc。一直在设计，建造，炼油和销售一种新型的共聚焦扫描系统，即扫描场共聚焦显微镜（SFC）。 SBIR第一阶段和第二阶段的奖项为草原提供了为生物市场开发入门级产品所需的资金。由于成功完成了我们所有第一阶段和第二阶段目标，我们已经能够销售60多辆公司的销售额，该公司的销售额为6,000,000.00美元。最近，由于高速和低毒性，我们能够通过Nikon Instruments，Inc。为SFC开发全球销售渠道，因此SFC现在在Neuro和细胞生物学领域中获得了销售受欢迎程度。为了提供更多功能信息，我们建议进一步提高SFC的速度，并简化其对科学家的易用性，并增加可以使用仪器（例如荧光共振能量传递（FRET））执行的应用量。特别是，我们想添加定量技术，例如荧光寿命成像（FLIM），以研究动态过程和FRET分析。通过完成本提案中概述的特定目的，SFC不仅可以作为共聚焦显微镜执行，而且可以提供有关具有高分辨率的本地神经元网络的动态信息。此外，随着该项目的完成，草原可以将SFC的产品销售提高到全球范围内的激光扫描显微镜市场。 公共卫生相关性：神经科学的主要目标是在机械层面上了解具有特定行为的神经元网络的功能，可用于表征神经系统疾病。这样的研究需要能够识别信号网络并非侵入性研究活细胞内的动态。改进的扫描场共聚焦显微镜系统将提供这种功能，以实时和患病过程的实时记录时空信息，并使用有关微环境和信号传导途径的其他信息研究细胞动力学，并使用荧光寿命成像检测到。