Microscope System for 3D Cell Cluster Imaging

Solution Overview

Problem

Current microscope systems are inefficient in acquiring three-dimensional high-magnification images of cell clusters, particularly under conditions that mimic in vivo environments, as they often rely on monolayer culture methods which do not accurately represent cellular behavior.

Innovation Solution

A microscope system with a motor-driven stage, low-magnification-image acquiring unit, and cell-cluster-position detecting unit that aligns cell clusters with the optical axis, allowing for high-magnification slice image acquisition of fluorescence or luminescence emitted from cells at intervals, enabling efficient three-dimensional imaging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If high-magnification imaging is performed on cell clusters in three-dimensional culture, then imaging accuracy and in vivo relevance are improved, but imaging efficiency and time consumption worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging accuracyVSAvoidimaging efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging process is segmented into two stages: (1) low-magnification scanning to identify and locate cell clusters, and (2) high-magnification imaging focused only on the detected cell clusters. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high imaging accuracy for cell clusters while improving overall imaging efficiency by avoiding unnecessary high-magnification scanning of empty areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary low-magnification imaging to detect and locate cell clusters before performing high-magnification imaging. This preliminary action enables the system to pre-identify target regions, thereby improving subsequent high-magnification imaging efficiency without compromising imaging accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If low-magnification scanning is performed to locate cell clusters, then imaging speed is improved, but measurement precision of cell cluster positions worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescanning speedVSAvoidposition detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging process is segmented into two stages: (1) low-magnification scanning to identify and locate cell clusters, and (2) high-magnification imaging focused only on the detected cell clusters. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high imaging accuracy for cell clusters while improving overall imaging efficiency by avoiding unnecessary high-magnification scanning of empty areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If multiple slice images are acquired at intervals along the optical axis, then three-dimensional imaging quality is improved, but time consumption and productivity worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethree-dimensional imaging qualityVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The imaging process is segmented into two stages: (1) low-magnification scanning to identify and locate cell clusters, and (2) high-magnification imaging focused only on the detected cell clusters. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high imaging accuracy for cell clusters while improving overall imaging efficiency by avoiding unnecessary high-magnification scanning of empty areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary low-magnification imaging to detect and locate cell clusters before performing high-magnification imaging. This preliminary action enables the system to pre-identify target regions, thereby improving subsequent high-magnification imaging efficiency without compromising imaging accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient cytometry by allowing precise, three-dimensional imaging of cell clusters under conditions closer to in vivo environments, improving the accuracy and efficiency of cellular analysis.

Implementation Method 1

cells having a target molecule labeled with a fluorescent or luminescent chemical

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Implementation Method 2

fluorescence or luminescence emitted from the cells forming the cell cluster

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLuminescence: Luminescence

Data Source

PatentUS10168520B2Microscope system and microscopy method

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 EVIDENT CORP

AI summary

Provided is a microscope system including a motor-driven stage on which is mounted a culture vessel containing one or more cell clusters, each including cells having a target molecule labeled with a fluorescent or luminescent chemical; a low-magnification-image acquiring unit that acquires low-magnification images of the cell clusters in the culture vessel mounted on the stage; a detecting unit that detects the position of each cell cluster in the culture vessel by analyzing the acquired low-magnification images; and a high-magnification-image acquiring unit that, after the detected position is aligned with the optical axis of an objective lens, acquires slice images of fluorescence or luminescence emitted from the cells forming the cell cluster at a higher magnification than the low-magnification-image acquiring unit at intervals along the optical axis while the stage and/or the lens is moved to change stepwise the distance between the lens and the cell cluster.