BOB

The Sutter BOB^™ – designed to eliminate the conventional microscope frame – is a simple, open-design upright microscope platform ideal for slice electrophysiology, in vivo electrophysiology, wide field functional imaging, two-photon retinal imaging, photostimulation and new techniques just being developed! A microscope, in its simplest form, is an objective and a tube lens. Other components of most modern microscopes are designed to serve specific functions: different types of experiments, methods of illumination and means of signal detection.

Replacing the microscope frame with an optical rail adds the ability of adjusting the overall height of the microscope, unheard of in conventional microscope designs. Work on slices in January, do in vivo experiments in March. The BOB microscope is a compact, single assembly that mounts to the “blue rail” with one massive, stable connection. Focusing is motorized and incorporated between the focus arm and the optical rail.

Fluorescence epi-illumination is built into the basic BOB via an Olympus vertical illuminator. LED transmitted light illumination uses the Olympus Oblique Coherent Contrast (OCC) condenser. Sutter’s TLED and TLED controller form the trans-illumination light source. The TLED controller is capable of being triggered with a digital signal eliminating the need for shutters and adding the ability to photostimulate from the trans location. In experiments where transmitted light is not desired, the LED, condenser focus mechanism and OCC condenser are easily removed as a single assembly. Additionally, the transmitted light path is shorter than in other frames, allowing the microscope body to sit significantly lower than a conventional microscope. In case the microscope is shorter, more stability, increased ergometrics and ease of use is given.

The Sutter BOB takes full advantage of our free Multi-Link™ software program for micromanipulator positioning, if configured with an optional motorized XY stage or translator with MPC-200 controller. During whole-cell patch recording experiments in slices, it is common to search within a large slice area to find appropriate neurons. In case the BOB is configured with Multi-Link, after finding your target, Multi-Link will retrieve your recording and stimulation pipettes to the same field of view, so that you can begin recording immediately. If you need to stimulate a region outside the current field of view at a later stage, Multi-Link can release the recording pipette and allows you to reposition the objective and stimulating pipette(s) to the new stimulation region.