Olympus BX63 for Fluorescent Microscopy

January 27, 2016

Colorado State University
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Graduate Student

Overall

Performance

Ease-of-Optimization

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Company:

Olympus

Product Name:

BX63 Upright Microscope

Catalog Number:

BX63

Although this microscope has many features, we primarily use the fluorescent feature to detect proteins via immunofluorescence.

Experimental Design and Results Summary

Application

Immunocytochemistry, Immunofluorescence, fluorescent microscopy

Starting Material

H4IIE rat hepatoma cells tagged with fluorescent antibodies

Protocol Overview

When the sample is ready to be viewed, various microscope parts are turned on in a specific order including the control boxes, the touch panel controller, and the fluorescent lamp housing. After about 5 minutes of warming up, the microscope is ready to use. You can either view the sample using the eye pieces of the microscope, or if it is connected to a computer, samples can be viewed on the screen using a program such as Cell Sens. The touch panel controller is straightforward and you can set the objective to view samples. The stage and focus controls are separate from the microscope allowing for visualization on a computer screen while adjusting the focus or moving the stage. Additionally, all observation selection mode buttons are located with the focus adjustment and stage controller. These allow for brightness adjustment, and selection of an observation mode such as bright field, polarized or fluorescent. This is only really necessary if you are not working with a computer program, and are only viewing samples through the microscope alone.

Tips

Microscope needs time to warm up. Optical lenses must be kept clean for precise viewing.

Results Summary

This microscope is very user friendly and anyone with minimal microscope experience can learn how to use it in a matter of minutes.The BX63 can be used alone or in conjunction with a computer program that allows for snapping images/recording video to be analyzed and processed. It has many viewing features and the user is able to add additional features such as various objective lenses or additional fluorescent cubes. The one odd thing about this scope is what you see through the microscope lens is a larger area that what can be viewed through a computer program. This may be a program issue that we can't figure out yet, but may affect some users if they are trying to stitch images together.

Features Summary

Motorized stage, detached control pad, a variety of viewing options with the ability to add more depending on exactly what you're trying to do.

Additional Notes

None

Image Gallery

Summary

The Good

User friendly. Tech Support is always very knowledgable and helpful

The Bad

Cost...

The Bottom Line

Use the Olympus BX63 for live or fixed imaging of cells, or histology related projects, under a variety of light conditions. Ability to snap photos or videos is a huge plus.

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