Mirror unit selection in same excitation wavelength range
Multiple fluorescence mirror units are available for a specific excitation wavelength band depending on the bandwidth of the exciter filter. Bandwidth is indicated by the alphabet characters that follow the mirror unit name U-M. The wideband filter mirror unit is represented by "W" (U-MWB, etc.), the narrowband filter mirror unit by "N" (U-MNB,etc.) and the superwide band filter mirror unit by "SW" (U-MSWB,etc.). Fluorescence brightness varies by bandwidth. Also, brightness increases when a superwide band filter mirror unit is used - which may result in unexpected autofluorescence. Mirror units with a name ending in "A" have a barrier filter in the emission light path to allow observation of a multiplestained specimen in separated colors.
The following images were taken using an FITC signal over a PI-stained nucleus with different exciter filter.
|
WB and WIB When a WIB filter is used, the PI fluorescence emission in the background appears bright. However, using a WIB filter makes the fluorescence emitted by PI appear dark and FITC fluorescence emission sharply visible. This indicates that FITC fluorescence emission is brighter if a WIB filter is used. |
|
||||
 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WB |
WIB |
||||
|
 |
|
|||
|
WB, SWB and NB These three images were produced using the same exposure time. With an SWB filter, extremely bright fluorescence is emitted to result in an overexposed image as well as prominent background autofluorescence. An NB filter makes the photo entirely dark. However, only the FITC fluorescence emission is sharply visible with high contrast. |
 |
||||
SWB |
NB |
||||
|
|
