Cheap and Practical Fluorescence Detector Flashlight

February 29, 2016

BlueskyReddit
Universite de Montreal
Neurocience
Research associate

Overall

Performance

Ease-of-Optimization

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Company:

Nightsea

Product Name:

DFP Flashlight

Catalog Number:

DFP-GC

We can easily detect fluorescent protein expression in mouse tissue with this LED flashlight. A great portable alternative to an expensive fluorescent stereomicroscope.

Experimental Design and Results Summary

Application

Transgenic mice screening

Starting Material

Mouse embryos or dissected brain

Protocol Overview

1) Place the mouse or dissected brain in an open container 2) Put on the special glasses (select depending on the fluorophore) 3) Turn on the flashlight (the switch allows to select between fluorophores) 4) Turn off the room lights 5) Observe

Tips

For high expression fluorophores no dissection is needed also used on newborn mice it can replace genotyping. We used green and red sticker dots to label glasses and switches for easy use.

Results Summary

This is a great way to check if your in-utero electroporated brains express RFP or GFP. At just a fraction of the price of a fluorescence stereo-microscope. The dissected brain can be submerged in liquid, ready for slicing. The electroporated spot is much brighter and clearly confined. it looks small because you don't have an amplification lens and I think because you only see the brighter (middle) region. You can check very fast over your bench and continue the experiment. In addition we use the flashlight to genotype YFP-expressing mice before P10. It can be transported in its case to the animal facility.

Features Summary

You can easily screen for two different colored fluorophores with one flashlight.

Additional Notes

Good tech support at nightsea.com to help you decide on filters/glasses beforr buying

Image Gallery

Summary

The Good

Fast screening at a fraction of the price for a microscope. Can be ordered through EMS

The Bad

The filters are not very good. For example, in a mouse with high expression of GFP in all the brain you can't detect expression of RFP from a vector electroporated in-utero.

The Bottom Line

We would recommend this flashlight for fast screening of fluorescence in a neuroscience laboratory.

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