Experiment information – Light sheet mode
The Leica SP8 is capable of light sheet imaging of live, fixed or cleared samples. For live samples, there is an Okolab environmental chamber for humidity, CO2 and temperature control. The sample size is limited by the TwinFlect mirrors which come down either side of the sample to project the light sheet across (see figure below), and the sterility of the sample environment is compromised by the mirrors, which should be factored in when planning long-term experiments.
Spheroids and organoids are perfect for this system, along with small transparent organisms (for example, larval zebrafish) where only a small area (<1mm) needs to be imaged. Additionally, cells growing inside of a 3D gel are suitable for this system. We have also used it for more innovative applications such as imaging cells flowing through tubing or nozzles during bioprinting.
There are a variety of configurations listed below, but we generally use the 1.6x or 2.5x illumination objective coupled with the 10x or 16x detection objective to give the best compromise of resolution with field of view (see graph in the specifications below). Discussion with a link scientist will help to determine the best configuration for your samples.
