Lightsheet microsopy Lightsheet microsopy

Light-sheet microscopy

What is light-sheet microscopy?

A light-sheet microscope is an observation technique that illuminates a sample with sheet-shaped light to acquire 2D images. By changing the position where the sheet light is applied, it also enables 3D imaging.

 

While light-sheet microscopy is often compared to confocal microscopy because it can capture 3D images, it has two significant features:

  • Separate optical paths for excitation light illumination and fluorescence detection.
  • No excitation light hitting the upper and lower focal planes.

 

In confocal microscopy, due to the epifluorescence illumination, excitation light hits the upper and lower sides of the focal plane, causing sample fading and phototoxicity. In contrast, light-sheet microscopy illuminates the sample’s focal plane parallelly, avoiding excitation light exposure to the upper and lower sides of the focal plane, which reduces fading and phototoxicity (see Figure 1).

 

Additionally, while confocal microscopy requires scanning in the XY direction during imaging, light-sheet microscopy illuminates the XY plane all at once, eliminating the need for scanning and enabling faster imaging (see Figures 2 and 3).

Figure 1: Differences in illumination methods between confocal microscopy and light-sheet microscopy

Figure 2: Excitation light illumination image in confocal microscopy

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of light-sheet microscopy (SPIM)

The disadvantage of light-sheet microscopy compared to confocal microscopy lies in its lower resolution. In light-sheet microscopy, you need two objective lenses—one for excitation light illumination and another for fluorescence detection—both of which must be brought close to the sample. However, when attempting to use high-NA (numerical aperture) objective lenses, interference occurs between the objective lenses due to their working distances. As a result, you have no choice but to use low-magnification, low-NA objective lenses with a certain working distance.

Additionally, while sheet light allows clean image acquisition immediately after exiting the excitation objective lens, at positions farther from the emission side of the objective lens, the image quality decreases due to scattering of excitation light by the sample and increased background light. To overcome this, recent advancements include light-sheet microscopes with objective lenses positioned in two directions, enabling excitation light to be irradiated from both directions (see Figure 3).

Observation method Confocal microscopy Light-sheet microscopy
Capture speed Slow Fast
Resolution High Low
Sample phototoxicity High Low

Types of light-sheet microscopy

SPIM(selective plane illumination microscopy)

SPIM (selective plane illumination microscopy) is a light-sheet microscopy technique that creates a sheet of light by expanding a laser using a cylindrical lens. Unlike DSLM (digital scanned light-sheet microscopy), SPIM eliminates the need for laser scanning, resulting in a simpler optical system and easier synchronization with cameras.

DSLM(digital scanned light-sheet microscopy)

DSLM (digital scanned light-sheet microscopy) creates a pseudo-light-sheet by scanning lasers. By combining laser scanning timing with the light-sheet readout mode (mentioned later), DSLM can acquire lower-noise images compared to SPIM.

Example images

Free-swimming Volvox carteri scaned by ezDSLM

Data courtesy of Laboratory for Spatiotemporal Regulations Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS) / National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB), Dr. Atsushi Taniguchi, Dr. Shigenori Nonaka

Free-swimming Paramecium bursaria scaned by ezDSLM

Data courtesy of Laboratory for Spatiotemporal Regulations Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS) / National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB), Dr. Atsushi Taniguchi, Dr. Shigenori Nonaka

GFP-expressing blood cells of Oryzias latipes scanned by ezDSLM

Data courtesy of Laboratory for Spatiotemporal Regulations Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS) / National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB), Dr. Atsushi Taniguchi, Dr. Shigenori Nonaka

 

Sample provided by Spectrography and  Bioimaging Facility Core Research Facilities / National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB), Dr. Joe Sakamoto

3D multicolor observation of Amoeboid movement and the cytoplasm flow

Data courtesy of Laboratory for Spatiotemporal Regulations Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS) / National Institute for Basic Biology (NIBB), Dr. Atsushi Taniguchi, Dr. Shigenori Nonaka

Quantitative high-speed imaging of developmental processes

Data courtesy of Dr. Philipp L. Keller, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, Va 20147, USA

Simultaneous two-color imaging of the beating zebrafish heart

Data courtesy of the group of Dr. Jan Huisken from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics

Technical introduction: Light-sheet Readout Mode

The Light-sheet Readout Mode is a method for improving the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of sCMOS cameras used in light-sheet microscopy. In this mode, it is possible to adjust the timing of camera readout synchronously with the movement of excitation light, allowing for high-quality image acquisition with an unaffected S/N due to scattering.

 

Hamamatsu Photonics has obtained a patent for this.

 

Patent numbers:

JP06475307, JP05770958, JP06240056, JP05639670

Highlighted product: ORCA-Fire Digital CMOS camera

The ORCA-Fire Digital CMOS camera is an sCMOS camera that combines three performance features: high resolution, high sensitivity, and high speed. It is ideal for lightsheet microscopy due to its wide field of view and fast capabilities.

 

Effective number of pixels 4432(H)× 2368(V)
Quantum efficiency (Typ.) 86 % (peak QE)
Readout noise (Typ.) 1.0 electrons rms
Readout speed 115 frames/s

 

In light-sheet microscopy, low-magnification objective lenses are commonly used. To maintain resolution with such low-magnification objectives, it is necessary to reduce the camera’s pixel size. The ORCA-Fire Digital CMOS camera has smaller pixel dimensions (4.6 μm × 4.6 μm) compared to conventional cameras, allowing for high-resolution imaging in light-sheet microscopy.

Light-sheet microscopy related products

Other imaging techniques

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