ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 - Sample Preparation

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ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1

Sample Preparation

White Paper

ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1

Sample Preparation

Author: Flood P.M., Kelly R., Gutiérrez-Heredia L.

and E.G. Reynaud

School of Biology and Environmental Science,

University College Dublin, Ireland

Date: Sept 2013

This paper describes theoretical and practical aspects of sample preparation for Light Sheet Fluorescence

Microscopy (LSFM). We present general rules for sample handling and mounting, as well as guidelines with

respect to the best preparative technique to use, taking into account sample type, structure and properties.

Step by step protocols and recommended materials for ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 samples are included.

These protocols cover sample preparation ranging from micrometer-sized ﬂuorescent beads to millimeter-sized

insects, providing detailed information relating to preparation and observation techniques. Finally, this paper

identiﬁes the main artifacts and problems that can result from the preparation techniques.

CONTENTS (click text to go to page):

1 INTRODUCTION

2 SAMPLE MOUNTING FOR LSFM

2.1 The perfect Sample for LSFM

2.2 Holding the Sample

2.2.1 Embedded Samples

2.2.2 Hanging Samples

2.2.3 Enclosed Samples

2.2.4 FEP Tubing

2.3 Materials and Equipment

2.3.1 Sample Chambers

2.3.2 Molding and Mounting Supports

2.3.3 Sample Holder

2.3.4 Gels and Polymers

2.3.5 Hydrogel Preparation

2.4 Fixation and Fixatives

2.5 Stains and Staining

2.5.1 Choosing a Fluorescent Label

2.6 Antifading Agents

2.7 Cleaning, Labelling and Storing Samples

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF SAMPLE

PREPARATION

3.1 Preparation of Fluorescent Beads

3.2 Preparation of a Medaka Fish Embryo

(Oryza latypes)

3.3 Preparation of a Fly Pupa

(Drosophila melanogaster)

3.4 Preparation of a Plant Root

(Arabidopsis thaliana)

3.5 Imaging Cell Cysts in an Extracellular Matrix Gel

3.6

Immunostaining and Preparation of

MDCK Cell Cysts

3.7 Preparation of a Whole Mount of a Mosquito

(Anopheles gambiae)

4 TIPS, TROUBLESHOOTING AND

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

4.1 Tips

4.2 Troubleshooting

4.3 Suggested Additional Sources of Information

4.4 References and Further Reading

5 Index

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1. INTRODUCTION

A microscope generally performs best on suitable samples,

and when the samples are optimally prepared for the imag-

ing method and microscope type. In Light Sheet Fluorescence

Microscopy (LSFM), the sample is commonly mounted in a

liquid ﬁlled chamber and can be rotated easily. It is scanned

through a sheet of light which illuminates the focal plane of

a perpendicularly mounted objective lens. The resulting image

of an optical section is observed through the objective and

is usually detected on a camera-based detector. Since the

geometry of the optical beam paths and the optics differ

signiﬁcantly from the conventional inverted and upright

compound microscopes, the sample mounting protocols

also differ signiﬁcantly.

If the sample is perfectly transparent, like a block of 1%

agarose with beads inside, the light sheet can penetrate

deeply and does not change its properties and shape along

the illumination axis. Also, the ﬂuorescent signal can reach

the detector unperturbed by scattering effects in the specimen

or hydrogel. However, if the sample is slightly opaque and

diffracts or scatters the light sheet heavily (lipids, lipid vesicles

or dense collagen ﬁber arrays that scatter light strongly) then

the well-deﬁned shape and thickness of the sectioning light

sheet degrades along the illumination axis. In a second effect,

the detected image from a well illuminated sample might

still be degraded by such a poorly transparent sample.

These effects can contribute independently to the ﬁnal image

quality of a LSFM and can be minimized or worked around by

careful sample positioning in the microscope as well as by an

optimized sample preparation protocol.

Ultimately, a fully opaque sample that can completely block

the penetration of light and a light sheet (insect cuticular

structures, bones…) will limit the imaging capabilities of

Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopes and Lightsheet Z.1

to its surface.

Furthermore, the image quality in Fluorescence Microscopy

in general – and in LSFM in particular – is not only deter-

mined by sample transparency that can be optimized by

choosing a suitable model (transparent ﬁsh like Medaka),

suitable growth conditions (no phenol red in the growth

media to avoid autoﬂuorescence) or, potentially, a clearing

treatment (not suitable for Lightsheet Z.1). It is also important

to have a homogenous signal from a homogeneously

labelled sample. Antibodies, for example, are rather large

molecules that cannot penetrate deeply into tissue so it is

difﬁcult to image a complete juvenile ﬁsh after antibody as

only the ﬁrst 50 μm to 100 μm will be labelled, the interior

showing reduced signal levels due to the limited diffusion

of the antibody.

Samples must be carefully considered when using LSFMs

such as Lightsheet Z.1 as well as the label or dye used must

be carefully chosen. In planning an experiment, it should be

kept in mind that most labelling and imaging protocols have

been developed for thin specimens and therefore many

aspects are not adapted to imaging larger samples such as

embryos, tissue slices or complete mosquitoes.

Many organisms have been imaged using Light Sheet

Fluorescence Microscopy (Table 1) and you may want to

read further speciﬁc papers to clarify sample preparation

issues.

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Topic Subtopic Sample/Model Organism Technique/ LSFM

implementation

Reference

Physics Technical set up of MISERB

Structured illumination

Light Sheet Characteristics

Image formation

Image View fusion

Fluorescent beads

Mouse cochlea

Fluorescent beads

Caenorhabditis elegans

live sea urchin embryo, live

Danio rerio embryo

MISERB

sTSLIM

SPIM

DSLM

LSFM

Fahrback et al, 2010

Schroter et al, 2011

Ritter et al, 2008

Olarte et al, 2012

Rubio-Guivernau et al, 2012

Biochemistry Laser Microsurgery

Microtubule dynamic instability

mRNA nuclear export

Heterochromatin dynamics

Imaging of engineered gene

expression

In vitro microtubules

Chironomus tentans Salivary

Glands

MCDK cells, Drosophila

melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster

SPIM

LSFM (FCS)

SPIM

Engelbrecht et al, 2007

Keller et al, 2008

Siebrasse et al, 2012

Capoulade, 2011

Ejsmont et al, 2009

Microbiology Marine microbiology Various bacteria, protozoa etc. LSFM Fuchs et al, 2002

Cell biology Adaptive optics to improve

imaging performance

Intracellular imaging

Nuclear protein localisation

Imaging large living samples

Tumour spheroids

Mammalian cell organelles

Cellular spheroids

MCDK cell cysts

waoSPIM

Bessel beam plane illumination

SPIM

Jorand et al, 2012

Planchon et al, 2011

Zanacchi et al, 2011

Verveer et al, 2007

Plant Biology Live imaging of root growth

Consecutive imaging of vertically

growing root

Arabidopsis thaliana

DSLM

SPIM

Maizel et al, 2011

Sena et al, 2011

Developmental Biology Imaging of developing organs

Embryogenesis visualisation

Zebraﬁsh development

Cell identity lineaging and

neurodevelopmental imaging

Gene Expression: hour glass

model veriﬁcation

Danio rerio heart valve

Drosophila embryo

Danio rerio

Caenorhabditis elegans

Drosophila melanogaster

SPIM

mSPIM

iSPIM

SPIM

Scherz et al, 2008

Huisken et al, 2004

Kaufmann et al, 2012

Wu et al, 2011

Kalinka et al, 2010

Physiology Middle ear structure

3D reconstruction of inner ear

Brain in vivo imaging

3D reconstruction for

morphological analysis

Scan of whole brain

Neural network imaging

Sectioning of thick tissues

Imaging neuronal activity

Imaging of immunolabelled

receptors

Optical sectioning

Plastic Phantom Structure

Cavia porcellus

Microspheres

Bast‘s valve

Mouse brain

Mouse cochlea/zebraﬁsh inner

ear, brain/ rat brain

Mouse vomeronasal cells

Mouse

Meriones unguiculatus

cochlea, Hippocampus reidi

head, Xenopus laevis

(HR) OPFOS

OPFOS; LSFM

miniSPIM

OPFOS

LSFM

Ultramicroscope

TSLIM

OCPI

SPIM

OPFOS

Buytaert et al, 2007

Hofman et al, 2009

Engelbrecht et al, 2010

Hofman et al, 2007

Mertz and Kim, 2010

Dodt et al, 2007

Santi et al, 2009

Holekamp et al, 2008

Klohs et al, 2008

Buytaert et al, 2012

Large organism

general biology

Whole organism 3D reconstruction

Imaging copepod gut contents

Whole organism 3D reconstruction

Ormia ochracea;

Emblemasoma auditrix

Drosophila melanogaster

Calanus paciﬁcus

Thermocyclops consimilis

LSP

Ultramicroscope

PLIF

LSFM

Huber et al, 2001

Jahrling et al, 2010

Jaffe et al, 2009

Boistel et al. 2011

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2. SAMPLE MOUNTING FOR LSFM

• Lightsheet Z.1 is optimized for gel embedded samples.

The sample chamber must be ﬁlled with a watery solution

(refractive index of 1.33) at all times, to ensure optimal

image quality.

• Lightsheet Z.1 is not designed for the use with clearing

reagents. Lightsheet Z.1 is built for aqueous media. Also

the sample chamber and the system cavity for the sample

chamber and sample holder are not compatible with

aggressive chemicals.

2.1 The perfect Sample for LSFM

Prior to observing a sample using a microscope, a preparation

step is usually necessary. The sample properties and the

microscope characteristics provide guidelines and also

limitations to sample preparation and imaging. The classic

method of mounting an object for microscopy requires the

use of a slide and coverslip that in turn limits access to the

sample from one side (Fig. 1/A and B). The sample is not

touching the objective lens and the number of refractive

barriers is at least two (coverslip, mounting medium) and

can increase further if immersion oil is needed.

Fig. 1 Relations between the sample and the objective in microscopy. Samples are traditionally isolated from the objective by a glass coverslip (A and B)

limiting access to one side only. (C). In LSFM, the illumination is positioned at 90° compared to the detection axis and can be set up in a sideways geometry

(“horizontal microscope”).

The depth of the ﬁeld of view is dependent on the type of

objective lens and the sample properties, and will deterio-

rate with the thickness of the sample. Light Sheet Fluores-

cence Microscopy (LSFM) utilizes illumination along an axis

that is perpendicular to the detection axis (Fig. 1/C). More-

over, it usually allows sample rotation to record multiple im-

age stacks that are acquired independently along different

directions. To allow the high level of sample mobility re-

quired for such Multiview imaging, the sample is inserted in

a sample holder from above. The sample holder is hanging

in and linked to an x, y, z, and alpha positioning motor

stage, allowing complete three dimensional translations and

free rotation around an axis parallel to gravity. This conﬁgu-

ration leaves the illumination and the detection paths com-

pletely open but requires the preparation of a sample that

can be held from above or below in a medium-ﬁlled chamber.

Such geometry goes hand in hand with the convenient use

of water dipping or air objective lenses. As mentioned

already in the introduction, another important aspect of

sample preparation is the transparency of the specimen,

especially when imaging large objects. Ideally, the light sheet

penetrates as deeply as possible into the sample. Any obstacle

or opaque medium will limit the light sheet penetration depth,

generating shadows that will be read out as artifacts on the

ﬁnal image.

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In LSFM, the sample is usually imaged in a water-based

buffer. Generally, it can be kept dry and imaged in air but

this has extensive limitations like diffraction due to the

signiﬁcant jump in refractive index from air to the sample

material. This has several consequences for sample preparation.

First, the refractive index of the mounting medium should

be close to that of the sample buffer. The mounting medium

should not scatter the illumination or the detection light.

Second, the mounting medium should not dissolve in water.

Third, its diffusive properties should be close to those of

water/medium. Fourth, the medium should be non-toxic

for live samples. Fifth, the medium should be ﬂexible to

allow the sample to develop. Finally, it should not change

its mechanical properties during a period of observation

(72 hrs and more).

The following part of this section will deal with sample as a

general term but we have devised them in four main classes

(Fig. 2) and you can check their size relationship (Fig. 2) and

keep that in mind as different samples of different sizes will

mean different sample preparation approaches and handling.

2.2 Holding the Sample

In LSFM, the detection axis is at 90° from the illumination

axis. There are two main approaches to design such an optical

conﬁguration: horizontal or vertical, with respect to the detec-

tion axis. In both cases, the sample must be positioned at the

intersection between the two axes in order to be observed.

Lightsheet Z.1 is a horizontal LSFM implementation and so the

sample is presented from above, hanging along the gravitation

axis to be scanned through the light sheet in order to acquire

stacks of optical section images. Several possibilities exist to

hold the sample in such an optical conﬁguration.

In a vertical conﬁguration, the simplest way is to place the

sample on a slide or a cuvette ﬁlled with medium underneath

the objective (Dodt et al., 2007), alternatively the sample can

be embedded in a gel rod that can be rotated. In a horizontal

conﬁguration, like Lightsheet Z.1, the sample can be either

embedded in a stiff gel (Fig. 3/A) (Huisken et al., 2004)

hooked and positioned in front of the objective (Fig. 3/B)

(Engelbrecht et al., 2007), placed in a container (Fig. 3/C)

(Engelbrecht et al., 2007, Kaufmann et al., 2012, Pampaloni

et al., 2007) or placed on a slide and positioned at a 45° angle

(Fig. 3/D). Alternatively, some investigators are using a system

presenting the sample from underneath for better stability

(Huber et al., 2001).

• Lightsheet Z.1 is not designed to support

mounting on a coverslip (Fig. 3/D).

Fig. 2 Different sample types. (A) very large objects (cm), (B) large objects (mm), (C) medium size samples (100 μm) and small samples (10 μm) (D).

Each is represented in relation to the following one to allow size comparison.

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Every mounting technique has some advantages and disad-

vantages. Here, we would like to mention one important

parameter: the position of the sample relative to the objective

lens. Gel embedding (Fig. 3/A and E) is usually safe but the

capillary that holds the gel can potentially touch the detection

objective. Such collisions are even more likely for hook

(Fig. 3/B and F) and coverslip (Fig. 3/D and H) mountings.

It is important to remember that in Lightsheet Z.1 the sample

can interact with the detection lens as well as the walls of

the sample chamber and this could affect the imaging process.

One of the important advantages of the LSFM optics geometry

is that it allows so-called Multiview imaging. In this case the

sample must be mounted to support the required positioning.

One approach used in Lightsheet Z.1 to support this experi-

mental paradigm is to place the object in a gel rod that can

be rotated (Fig. 3/A and E) in front of the objective. The hy-

drogel cylinder must be sufﬁciently stable to avoid movement

during rotation. Typical preparation protocols use 0.8 % to

1.0 % agarose (see below in this section) to take this into

account. The following sections will address the four main

types of sample preparation that can be used: embedding,

hanging, enclosing or ﬂattening.

Fig. 3 Sample positioning in LSFM. The sample can be held in front of the objective (A) embedded in gel, (B) by a clip, (C) in a container, or on a coverslip

(D; Note: ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 is not designed to support this way of mounting the sample). (E to H) show an eye bird view of the mounting (A to D).

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2.2.1 Embedded Samples

Embedding objects in plastic materials is a routine procedure

widely used in the preparation of samples for electron

microscopy. In the case of sample preparation for LSFM

however, the immobilization of hydrated biological materials

must not impair biological activity. It is necessary to keep

the object we wish to observe in a perfect condition.

In the case of LSFM, it is also necessary to contain the

sample in such a way that it can be positioned and rotated

in front of the objective. Furthermore, transparency of the

mounting medium is essential to allow imaging. A basic

technique of mounting objects for the LSFM is to shape

them into a cylinder of gel (for example agarose, see also

section 2.3.4 Gels and Polymers) that can then be mounted

on a dedicated holder. Lightsheet Z.1 package provides four

capillaries sizes adapted to the sample holder to embed

objects of various sizes. The special sample holder of

Lightsheet Z.1 adapts to hold these capillaries for precise

positioning (translation and rotation) of the cylinder-shaped

object for observation through the detection optics. The used

gel such as agarose behaves like mechanically stabilized water,

supporting the object. It can be easily molded and the gel

chosen should have an optical (refraction) index close to that

of water. The object can be any size, as the gel can be molded

accordingly (Fig. 4/A to D). The various gelling agents and

polymers that can be used are discussed in greater detail in

section 2.3 Materials and Equipment. The preparation of

embedded samples requires a container suitable for molding

the gel. The simplest approach is to use any cylinder with a

tight-ﬁtting plunger to pump the molten gel into it and let it

polymerize inside before pushing it out. The cylinder can be

a syringe, a capillary or even a pipette.

In the case of Lightsheet Z.1, the Sample Starter Kit provides

four types of color coded capillaries and a speciﬁc sample

mounting device with color coded sleeves to ﬁt each type of

capillary perfectly to the sample holder. Moreover, a syringe

sample holder is provided.

Above the preparation of a syringe for large sample and a

basic protocol for capillary mounting are discussed.

Fig. 4 Embedded samples. Large samples, such as an adult Drosophila melanogaster, can be embedded in a large gel tube or a cut 1 ml syringe (A),

intermediate size samples, such a Medaka or Zebraﬁsh embryo can be prepared by using either a cut 1 ml plastic syringe (see also Fig. 5) or a glass

capillary (C and D) and small samples such as Drosophila melanogaster embryos or early stage cell clusters can be prepared using a smaller capillary (D).

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An example of how to tailor a syringe for Lightsheet Z.1

sample preparation is illustrated in Fig. 5. The tip of the

syringe is cut off to create an even cylinder, and the gel

solution is pumped in using the plunger. The sample is

then positioned precisely within the gel.

• After the gel has polymerized, the plunger is used to

push out the specimen prior to imaging. Imaging is not

done through the syringe or capillary, since this would

impair the image quality due to the optical properties of

the material.

For smaller samples, a capillary can be used as a sample em-

bedding container. There are several commercial companies

that provide glass capillaries with speciﬁc Teﬂon plunger.

Lightsheet Z.1 sample preparation kit comes with four sizes

of capillaries and their speciﬁc plunger for this purpose.

• Make sure you use the right capillary for your sample.

The sample size should not be more than 2/3 of the ﬁnal

agarose diameter and no less than 1/3. You should also

ensure that you use the right plunger for you particular

capillary. Finally, the Teﬂon plunger should be handled

carefully and checked regularly for integrity to avoid leaks

that will lead to sliding of the gel rod.

The important points to consider are that the materials used

do not interfere with the gel, the object to image or the

sample preparation (chemical compatibility, melting point,

transparency etc.), it must be easily prepared or easily

purchased, it must be compatible to the LSFM sample holder

as well as the x, y, z stage, it must ﬁt to the sample chamber

and should not cause damage to the objective lens once

rotated or moved. It is also reasonable to consider reusable

sample holders to limit waste. We have found that home-

made sample embedding container using 1 ml syringes

(BD Biosciences, Braun, Terumo or your local laboratory plastic

ware supplier), 1 ml plastic pipettes (see your local laboratory

plastic ware supplier such as Falcon or VWR), and glass capillar-

ies (Brand, Sutter Instruments or check your local glassware

specialist, see also section 4.3 Suggested Additional Sources

of Information) (Fig. 6) are particularly effective. The plungers

usually come with the cylinders or can be made using metal

rods, plastic or metal wires of an appropriate diameter. Once

the sample embedding container is prepared, the sample

preparation can begin. The ﬁrst step consists of preparing the

supporting agent at a suitable concentration and temperature.

The gelling agent is usually a 0,7 to 1 % solution of low

melting agarose in water or PBS, depending of the sample to

be embedded (ﬁxed, living, sensitivity to osmotic pressure

etc.). If the sample needs to be maintained in a drop of solution

or contains water or buffer it is advisable to use a higher con-

centration of agarose to obtain a ﬁnal concentration of 1%

once the sample is embedded. The use of low melting-point

agarose is recommended (Roth, n° 6351.1) as its melting

temperature is only approx. 60 °C and it can be maintained

liquid at just above 37 °C prior to embedding.

There are two principal methods of embedding an object.

The ﬁrst is to directly mix the object with the agarose then

Fig. 5 Preparing a sample embedding container with a syringe. Many tubular objects can be used to make embedded samples. A simple technique is il-

lustrated here. The tip of a syringe is cut away (A, B), agarose can then be easily pumped in using the plunger (C), and the sample can be positioned within the

agarose tube (D). After polymerization the sample can be pushed out of the syringe for imaging (E).

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pump it into the sample embedding cylinder. This is a conve-

nient way of embedding very small objects such as pollen

grains (Swoger et al., 2007); yeast (Taxis et al., 2006) or cell

clusters (Pampaloni et al., 2007) or even large objects like

ﬁsh embryos. The action of pumping in the sample with the

agarose results in a self-alignment of the specimen within

the tube (Fig. 7/A, E and F).

The second method is to ﬁll the sample embedding container

with the gelling agent, then to place the object within the gel

using a needle or forceps (Fig. 7/A, B, C and D). This approach

is more suitable for those samples that cannot be easily aligned

using the ﬁrst technique.

In some cases, it may still be challenging to align the specimen

in the most suitable way for imaging. The orientation of the

sample must then be optimized, so that interesting details are

facing the surface of the agarose cylinder with as little material

as possible in the optical path. One solution is to ﬁll a syringe

with agarose and allow it to cool until it solidiﬁes. The agarose

is then pushed out of the syringe (Fig. 8/A and B). A small

V-shaped groove can be cut into the gel and the sample then

positioned in the V-groove.

The gel can be cut into various shapes depending on the

needs (cylinder, hole). Afterwards the gel with the specimen

is pulled back into the syringe and is covered with more molten

agarose. The agarose is allowed to cool and solidify, this

time period can be shortened by cooling the whole sample.

For example the housing of the sample can be rinsed with

cold water, although care must be taken to ensure that the

polymer does not come into contact with the water, other-

wise the cooling agarose would become diluted and lose its

stability necessary for holding the sample. After polymerization,

the sample is ready for imaging.

Fig. 6 Preparing a sample embedding container with a capillary. A glass capillary can be used. For ZEISS Lightsheet Z.1 they come from the manufacturer

(Brand) in just the right length (A). Other capillaries can be cut to an appropriate length (B), the agarose with the object can be easily pumped in using the

suitable plungers with Teﬂon tips (C). If no such plunger is available it can be made, for example, from a piece of electrical wire (D). To avoid leakage, such a

plunger can be sealed with nail polish (E) once the sample is pushed out. The sample can then be imaged (F).

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Fig. 7 Basic principles of sample embedding. A cylinder with a suitable plunger is used as a mounting device (A). The 1 % low melting-point agarose is

melted, then brought to 37 °C, then pumped into the cylinder. (B) The object is then introduced to the agarose with a needle or forceps. (C) Once solidiﬁed,

the embedded sample can be pushed out and imaged (D). Alternatively, the object, devoid of water, or other solution, is added to a solution of 1 % low

melting-point agarose at just above gelling temperature (typically 40 °C) and sucked into the cylinder (E) and then allowed to polymerize. The embedded

sample can then be pushed out and imaged (F).

Fig. 8 Aligning an embedded sample. The sample can be aligned in a particular orientation to allow the details of interest to be close to the outer surface of

the agarose. The solidiﬁed agarose is pushed out the syringe a few millimeters and a small v-groove is cut into the cylinder to take up the sample (A).

The sample is placed into the v-groove (B). The sample on the agarose is pulled back into the syringe and more agarose is added (C). After the cylinder has

completely solidiﬁed the sample is pushed out of the syringe allowing free sight on to the sample (D). The same approach can be used to carve a central tunnel

in the middle of the agarose to align the sample along the agarose tube axis.

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2.2.2 Hanging Samples

• Lightsheet Z.1 is optimized for gel embedding

samples The sample chamber must be ﬁlled with a

watery solution (refractive index of 1.33) at all times,

to ensure optimal image quality.

• This mounting technique can also be used, but will

require some initial adaptations to the sample holder.

An intuitive way of imaging an object is to simply take it as

it is and place it in front of an objective. In an LSFM, this can

be done by hanging the object in front of the objectiv where

the axis of rotation and gravity are parallel. This can be

achieved using a simple hook made of glass, stainless steel

or plastic (Fig. 9/A). This mounting technique can be used

for large samples such as organs (for example the brain) or

complete organisms (insect, ﬁsh). One main drawback is the

fact that the hook will partially damage the object and may

also interfere with the ﬁeld of view.

• Lightsheet Z.1 has a maximum Field of View of approx.

2.5 mm (depending on zoom settings). This and the

dimensions of the sample chamber might limit the size

of the sample.

Fig. 9 Different ways of hanging a sample. Samples can be either hooked or deposited on a bent glass capillary (A, D), glued to a rod or capillary (B),

or clamped on a syringe tip using the plunger and the syringe body as a holder (C).

Interestingly, such a hook can also be tailored to mount

small objects embedded in agarose. The drop of agarose is

more stable as it is closely held by the hook. This is very

important when imaging at very high magniﬁcation (100x).

The hanging method has been successfully used for imaging

single Saccharomyces cerevisae (Taxis et al., 2006) and holding

ﬁsh ﬁns during laser nanosurgery (Engelbrecht et al., 2007).

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2.2.3 Enclosed Samples

• Lightsheet Z.1 is optimized for gel embedding

samples The sample chamber must be ﬁlled with a

watery solution (refractive index of 1.33) at all times,

to ensure optimal image quality.

• This mounting technique can also be used, but will

require some initial adaptations to the sample holder.

The last important technique of holding samples to be men-

tioned in this section is to create a container that can hold

the object in front of the objective lens. This technique is

particularly suitable for specimens that should not be

embedded (for example due to temperature, physical

constraints etc.) or that need to be constantly maintained

in a speciﬁc buffer (for example in vitro assays, or living

cells). The container must be suitable for LSFM imaging.

It must be basically transparent and be suitable for the

object but also for the imaging chamber and the sample

Fig. 10 Enclosed chambers for LSFM. Incubation chambers can be made by molding an agarose beaker that can be mounted on a simple plastic holder and

loaded with the sample prior to imaging (A). Another solution is to create a chamber with a speciﬁc polymer with a refractive index close to water (for example

PFTE or FPE) using heat or glue to seal the chamber to the needed size and volume, and attach it to a suitable holder(syringe, capillary etc…) (B). A PDMS,

FPE tube or glass chamber can also be considered (C).

holder. It can be hooked or clipped using speciﬁc holders.

There are two main methods of generating such containers,

using gelling agent to shape out a container (Fig. 10/A) or

using polymers such as PTFE (Polytetraﬂuorethylen, Teﬂon)

or FPE (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene) to make it (Fig. 10/B

and C).

The container can be easily molded using a gelling agent speciﬁ-

cally chosen for its stiffness and transparency. The custom-made

molding system is made from a syringe where the plunger has

been modiﬁed to hold a cylinder of smaller diameter. This system

allows tailoring of the size of the container wall and is easy to

use for molding (Fig. 11/A). The plunger is pulled into the syringe

body and ﬁlled with molten gelling agent. The lunger is further

pulled to create the bottom part of the container (Fig. 11/B and

C). Alternatively, the system can be used to generate a hollow

tube that can be subsequently sealed (Fig. 11/D). The gelling

agent is left to polymerize and then the tube is removed from

the modiﬁed plunger. The containers can be used directly or

Fig. 11 Making and mounting an agarose incubation chamber. A modiﬁed syringe plunger is made by inserting a smaller diameter cylinder on to the

plunger (A, B). The tube is molded by simply pouring the molten agent into this device (C). Once removed, the open end of the container (D) can be closed with

agarose (E).

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kept in a water-based buffer for later use. The gelling agent

must be transparent, and although the use of agarose is pos-

sible, the concentration will depend on the size of the container

walls and the inside chamber. It is recommended to use a high-

er concentration of gelling agent to ensure the stability of the

container. We have used a 1ml syringe as a molding system and

a concentration of 1.5 % agarose for the container molding.

The stability is good and the degradation of the optical path

is minimal. Higher agarose concentrations may generate aber-

rations. Another possibility is to use a polymer to make the

chamber.

The polymer, similar to the gelling agent, must be transparent

or at least have an optical index as close as possible to water

or the buffer used during the experiment. The polymer is usu-

ally used as a sheet that can be formed as required. The other

possibility is to approach commercial manufacturers to make

polymer chambers at the speciﬁc sizes and lengths required.

Fusing polymer sheets can be done using a welding iron with

controlled temperature or a welding device use for melting

together plastic bags. As described in Fig. 12, the polymer foil

is folded to an appropriate size. This can be made easier by

using a guide or template, in this case a micropipette.

The polymer is fused together. The tube generated is ﬁnally

fused together on the other side to make a complete container.

The polymer chamber can be easily mounted on the LSFM by

using a clip, a slotted metal capillary or glued to a micropi-

pette. However, the last two options have the disadvantage

of partially obscuring the ﬁeld of view.

This technique has been successfully used to image living cells

(Engelbrecht et al., 2007) and cell clusters (Pampaloni et al.,

2007).

Fig. 12 Making and mounting an incubation polymer foil chamber. A piece of polymer foil (A) is folded and either heat- or glue-sealed to generate a

tube of a predeﬁned size (B). Excess foil can be removed or used to glue the tube on to a speciﬁc holder (capillary,thread, metal rod…) (D). One side of the tube

can be then glued or heat-sealed to close the chamber (C). The polymer used must be suitable for microscopy and easy to seal. The chamber can be glued to a

support, held by forceps, or inserted into a slit rod.

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2.2.4 FEP Tubing

More recently, the availability of Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene

(FEP) tube of different diameters has been successfully used for

long term imaging of Zebraﬁsh embryos (Kaufman et al., 2012).

Here, we refer only to the paper by Anna Kaufmann, Michaela

Mickoleit, Michael Weber and Jan Huisken in Development 139,

3242-3247 (2012) (“Multilayer mounting enables long-term im-

aging of zebraﬁsh development in a light sheet microscope”) and

emphasize the fact that the mounting method described in this

article is fully compatible with Lightsheet Z.1.

2.3 Materials and Equipment

This section gives an overview on the materials and equipment

for sample mounting and the sample chambers of Lightsheet

Z.1. The generalization of the concept is also mentioned.

2.3.1 Sample Chambers

In Lightsheet Z.1, the sample is positioned within a hamber

containing an aqueous solution. This chamber is tailored

with O-rings to tightly ﬁt the detection optics and avoid

leakage. The upper part of the chamber is open to allow

introduction of the sample. The bottom can be equipped

with a Peltier Block or a Heatingblock (optional incubation).

The remaining three sides are made in such a way that glass

coverslips can be ﬁxed allowing entrance of the light sheets

from two sides and observation of the object by the user

during the different steps of imaging using the appropriate

software feature. The original chamber is made of medical

steel, however, depending on the buffer used (salt, pH etc.),

the experiment being performed (time lapse, live cell imaging

etc.), there might be a need for more speciﬁc chambers.

Carl Zeiss Microscopy provides the technical drawing of the

sample chamber for Lightsheet Z.1 so that users can develop

their speciﬁc sample chamber

You can refer to the sample chamber section of this manual

for further information.When designing a chamber for your

particular application you must take into account the following

points:

Transparency: user visual access, light sheet entry and exit

routes, the distance of the coverslips for the light sheet –

and the water ﬁlled space in between – are a crucial measure

in the optics calculation of Lightsheet Z.1 system. To ensure

the functionality of the system these have to be maintained

when a custom made chamber is designed.

• Temperature control: heating devices, cooling devices

• Volume: size of the sample, buffer used (cost), drug

treatment (cost)…

• Fitting: objective, illumination position, stage, heaters…

• Material: buffer, heater, sterilization, UV protection…

• Flow: ﬂow entry and exit

• Size

• Cost

Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH (hereinafter “we”) hereby informs you that we will warrant the speciﬁed and agreed performance of Lightsheet Z.1 system only if sample

chambers are applied and used that either are delivered or explicitly approved by us.

The sample chamber design has been optimized to ensure the most established applications of Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy. Exceptional applications may

require a slightly modiﬁed sample chamber design. In order to enable customized modiﬁcations of the existing sample chamber we also provide the corresponding

CAD ﬁle and a technical drawing. We explicitly advise you that already minor deviations of the dimensions and tolerances speciﬁed in these documents will cause a

signiﬁcant loss of image quality and can potentially result in a liquid leakage. Therefore, you will not hold us or one of our afﬁliates liable for any damages caused

by the employment of self-built or third-party-built sample chambers, the use of such self-built or third-party-built sample chambers will be solely on your own risk.

Furthermore we want to inform you, that we will not render any assistance relating to the production and application of such self-built or third-party-built sample

chambers.

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1. Front system cavity door

2. Upper sample opening

3. Upper system cavity door

4. Securing screw

5. Sample chamber grip

6. Sample chamber

7. Guide rails/sample chamber mount

8. Connections for incubation

9. Hose and syringe

Fig. 13 Removing and inserting the sample chamber. The chamber has ﬁve entry points allowing the positioning of the objective, the sample holder, the light

sheet and the observation by the user. Heated chamber. The chamber can be equipped (optional) with a Peltier Block that can be tuned according to needs or a

Heatingblock. For further details on the sample chamber handling, accessories, its cleaning and assembly please read the corresponding chapters of this manual.

2.3.2 Molding and Mounting Supports

As described previously, there are several options to prepare a

sample and therefore several options to manipulate and mount

it. Initially, readily available products found in cell biology

laboratories: syringes, capillaries or pipettes were used to

mount samples. These components are all commercially avai-

lable, cheap and convenient for LSFM sample preparation.

However, they still need to be prepared for the speciﬁc needs.

Plastic syringes exist in various sizes (0.2 ml, 0.3 ml, 0.5 ml,

or 1 ml) and have tight plungers that easily allow pumping

and movement of the agarose rod used to embed the sample.

They can also be used to hang the sample by effectively

using the plunger and syringe body as forceps. The sample

holder disc for syringes (Fig. 14/I and K) provided should be

used in this case. Moreover, they can be purchased sterile for

single use applications.

In the case of Lightsheet Z.1, the sample kit is provided with

four types of color coded capillaries with matching plungers

(Fig. 14/A and B) and color coded sleeves to ﬁt perfectly

each type of capillary to the sample holder (Fig. 14/C).

The typical protocol of sample mounting is a two-step process

of choosing carefully your sample mounting system based

on your sample (size, agarose/sample ratio…) then to as-

semble it (e.g. plunger+tip+capillary) beforehand. Prepare it

(e.g. sample + agarose) and insert it in the upper sample

opening in Lightsheet Z.1 (Fig. 14/G and H).

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Fig. 14 Sample mounting accessories

as part of the sample chamber and

holder starter kit.

A. Capillaries (inner diameter of capillary

size 1 / ~0.68 mm, size 2 / ~1 mm,

size 3 / ~1.5 mm, size 4 / ~2.15 mm)

B. Speciﬁc plungers and Teﬂon tips for

each capillary.

C. Speciﬁc color coded sleeves to adapt

each capillary to the sample holder (F).

D. Sample holder stem for capillaries,

clamp screw, ejection tool.

E. Sample holder disc for capillaries

F. Sample Holder diagram showing the

capillary, the stem and disc of the

sample holder.

G + H. Sample holder handling and

insertion in Lightsheet Z.1.

I. Sample holder disc for syringes,

adapter ring.

K. Syringe (1 ml).

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A few points must be taken into account when choosing a

particular mount:

• Compatibility. This is a crucial issue. The mount must be

compatible with the object you want to image (chemistry,

temperature etc.), but it must also be compatible with the

stage holder.

• Stability (mechanical, optical, chemical).

• Tightness. In the case of embedded samples, once the

• gel has solidiﬁed, the cylinder of gelling agent is pushed

through the capillary out of the distal end by a plunger

ﬁtting into the capillary. The system must be air tight to

avoid air entry leading to a displacement of the gel rod.

The plunger can be sealed with a drop of wax, acrylamide

or nail polish, i.e. anything that prevents the plunger and

hence the agarose containing the sample from moving.

• Cost.

2.3.3 Sample Holder

Once the specimen is prepared and properly labeled, it is ready

to be imaged. While in conventional imaging there is a suitable

platform on which to place the glass slide or the chamber, in

LSFM the object must be held from above via the sample hold-

er. Depending on the size of the sample there are two different

types of sample holders available: sample holder for capillaries

and syringes (Fig. 14/C-F and I). Always use the minimal cylinder

diameter necessary for your specimen size to avoid excessive

amounts of agarose. The largest sample holder has been de-

signed to accommodate a 1ml syringe that can be inserted

from the top with a plunger that can be operated once the

sample holder is mounted on the stage. Once inserted, the

syringe is perfectly ﬁtted to the sample holder as the two ﬂaps

used for injection ﬁt the upper part of the holder. In this way

the object support is well maintained, an essential issue for

imaging and multiview imaging as the object is moved through

the light sheet by the stage. Capillaries have been extensively

used to image small embedded objects, as hooks for very large

objects, and as support for enclosed objects, so the capillary

has become commonly used for LSFM sample embedding.

Capillaries are made of glass. They can break. They

will slide when wet. Please handle them with care and

dispose of them properly.

2.3.4 Gels and Polymers

Gelling agents are commonly used for preparing semi-solid

or solid tissue culture media. Gels provide support to tissues

growing in static conditions. The gelling agent usually has

several properties. In particular, it does not react with media

constituents, is not digested by enzymes, and remains stable

at all incubation temperatures. Gelling agents are very versatile

and useful tools in LSFM as they allow easier sample prepa-

ration. This section will present in more detail the properties,

advantages and disadvantages of two well-described gelling

agents and provides an additional list of gelling agents.

Agarose

Agarose is a complex carbohydrate polymer material, generally

extracted from seaweed. It is used in chromatography and

electrophoresis as a medium through which a substance can

be analyzed by separating it into its components. The mole-

cules are extremely water-soluble due to their large number of

hydroxy groups, and solutions tend to be low-melting point

aqueous gels. A wide range of different agaroses, of varying

molecular weights and properties are commercially available.

These include low melting types, (for example, Agarose Type

VII, low melting temperature: gelling temperature below 30 °C,

melting temperature above 65 °C) which can be used if the

sample is sensitive to high temperatures. Interestingly, the re-

fractive index of the low melting type is lower than that of

normal agarose. However, to obtain the same strength, a

higher concentration needs to be used. With a concentration

of 1 % (w/w) the low melting point agarose has the same

stability as a 0.5 % agarose (normal). The refractive index at

this concentration is still lower than that of normal agarose,

minimizing distortions when imaging. In our laboratory,

we preferentially work with agarose as it is easy to handle,

has good optical properties and is not expensive.

Gelrite

Gelrite gellan gum is a self-gelling hydrocolloid that forms

rigid, brittle, transparent gels in the presence of soluble salts.

Chemically, it is a polysaccharide comprised of uronic acid,

rhamnose, and glucose. It is produced by the bacterial strain

S-60 of Pseudomonas elodea. Gelrite is a trademark of Merck

and Co, Inc (Rahway, NJ), Kelco Division, USA. One advantage

of Gelrite is the lower scattering of light compared to an aga-

rose gel with the same stability. It has a higher index of refrac-

tion but less scattering compared to agarose. Gelrite has a

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consistent batch-to-batch quality due to a stringent control of

the fermentation process. Only half the amount of Gelrite is

required for the same purpose. It hydrates rapidly and gel set-

ting can be easily controlled. The stability of the gel depends

on the concentration of divalent cations (Mg2+, Ca2+) there-

fore a gel made with Gelrite and pure water is unstable com-

pared to a PBS- (buffer) based gel. Polymerisation is faster com-

pared to agarose, which might be advantageous for some

applications. The temperatures for gelling and remelting are

similar to that of agarose. Additional list of gelling agents:

• Galactan

• Agar

• Gelatin

• Carrageenan

• Alginate

• Phytagel™

• Agargel™

• Transfergel™

2.3.5 Hydrogel Preparation

Every gelling agent is prepared following speciﬁc protocols

that vary widely from supplier to supplier, and from labora-

tory to laboratory depending on the ﬁnal application.

We will not try to cover every single one of these but rather

give a simple protocol that we have been using in our labo-

ratory to prepare embedded samples in agarose as a gelling

agent. The preparation is done as follows:

1) Preparing a 1 % low melting agarose gel.

Weigh 1 gram of low melting point (“low gelling”) agarose

(“Agarose Low Melt” (no 6351.1 from http://www.carlroth.

com) and place it in a ﬂask. Add 100 ml of solvent (water,

PBS) to the ﬂask. Swirl to mix the solution. Place the ﬂask in

the microwave. Heat above 95 °C until the solution is com-

pletely clear and no small ﬂoating particles are visible. Do not

allow the agarose to boil over as this will affect the ﬁnal aga-

rose concentration. Swirl the ﬂask frequently to mix the solu-

tion, prevent the agarose from burning, and prevent boiling

retardation.

Wear heat-protective gloves when handling the ﬂask.

The agarose can be also sterilized for sterile use

(cell culture). It is also possible to remove dissolved

air bubbles using a vacuum pump.

2) Cooling the gel

Once molten the gel is left to cool to 37 °C (or just above

gelling temp - read the material properties sheet) in a water

bath or on a heating plate. It is very important, especially for

sensitive samples, to ensure that the agarose is at 37 °C

before use.

Note: Alternatively, you can aliquot your agarose solution

into 1 ml or 2 ml Eppendorf tubes for later use. Label them

and store them in a cool and dry place. In this case, each

aliquot can be liqueﬁed using a heating block (80 °C – 90 °C)

then transferred to a heating block at 37 °C.

3) Using the gel

At this stage follow the examples described in the section

dealing with embedded sample preparation. Avoid bubble

formation during handling and pipetting as they will impair

the embedding process. Work quickly as the low melting

point agarose will polymerize rapidly as it was kept at 37 °C

close to the gelling temperature.

4) Polymerization of the gel

Let the gel polymerize. Avoid contact with any water-based

solution as it will dilute the gelling agent solution. The process

of polymerization can be accelerated by cooling down the

embedded sample (cold water, fridge…) – but keep in mind

that this might affect viability of a living sample.

5) Using the prepared sample

Once fully polymerized, the embedded specimen can be

manipulated, but keep in mind that it is a gel and therefore

fragile. Avoid any kind of friction, or shock etc. As it is a

water-based object it must be kept wet at all times to avoid

drying out and damaging the sample. Moreover, many types

of gel may change their properties over time (e.g. swelling),

and this can result in loosening of the gel in the support.

It is therefore important to use your sample as soon as

possible and monitor its quality over time if you plan to

reuse it.

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2.4 Fixation and Fixatives

Many experimental samples will require ﬁxation prior to imag-

ing. The goal of ﬁxation is to maintain cellular structure as

close as possible to the native state. Proper ﬁxation typically

facilitates immunohistochemical analyses if desired, and is an

important step prior to further processing. Specialized ﬁxation

procedures and processing may be required for certain tissues

(e.g. bone de-calciﬁcation) or preserving speciﬁc target anti-

gens. The processing of most samples begins with ﬁxation to

preserve morphology. A ﬁxation method must take into

account two things: the preservation of cellular 3-D structure

and maintenance of good access to antigenic sites. The goal

is to preserve sufﬁcient cellular organization to allow identiﬁ-

cation of the features of interest, but not to destroy the anti-

genicity of the target. Fixation is also frequently combined

with permeabilization to allow the staining solutions used in

later steps access to the cellular interior. Commonly used

histological methods of ﬁxation and permeabilization often

consist of treating the cells with solvents, such as methanol.

While these methods are rapid-acting precipitating ﬁxatives,

they are also good permeabilizing agents, but have one

signiﬁcant negative consequence: cellular shrinkage. The de-

gree of shrinkage may be almost insigniﬁcant for monolayers

of cells, but will distort tissue samples dramatically. To take full

advantage of the three-dimensional reconstruction capability

of the LSFM microscope, the use of a ﬁxative that does not

destroy in vivo structure and organization is imperative.

It is important to remember that different specimens may

require different ﬁxation methods. Testing and optimizing

for each new sample type will ensure that the best balance

between preservation and labeling is obtained. Fixing and

permeabilizing your cells affects the cell morphology and the

availability of the antigen you are trying to detect. You may

get different results with different reagents, times and

concentrations, hence the need for protocol optimization.

The distortion of cell morphology is something to bear in

mind when interpreting the images.

2.5 Stains and Staining

In LSFM, like in any microscopy technique using ﬂuorescence,

the sample can be labeled using speciﬁc ﬂuorescent dyes,

ﬂuorescent proteins or ﬂuorescently coupled antibodies.

Two basic techniques are generally used: direct labeling and

indirect labeling. Both labeling methods are suitable for

LSFM microscopy. Direct labeling consists of using ﬂuorescent

proteins, ﬂuorescently labeled primary antibody or a dye that

cause the structure of interest to become ﬂuorescent.

Advantages of this method include speed and ease of appli-

cation. A potential disadvantage is lack of sensitivity (low

signal intensity). The indirect method involves binding a

primary antibody to the epitope of interest, followed by a

ﬂuorescently labeled secondary antibody. The main advan-

tage of using this technique is the great ampliﬁcation of

signal possible through an antibody cascade. The disadvan-

tages include increased complexity, the method is more time

consuming, and there are often problems with non-speciﬁc

antibody reactions.

2.5.1 Choosing a Fluorescent Label

The choice of label depends upon the available equipment

on your LSFM set-up (lasers, ﬁlters) and the availability of

certain ﬂuorescent protein variants, ﬂuorochromes conjugated

to required antibodies for use in multiple labeling schemes.

In general, the laser lines available dictate which ﬂuoro-

phores or ﬂuorescent proteins can be used. Recent advances

in biochemistry have created new families of ﬂuorophores

with very favorable signal-to-noise and quantum efﬁciency

(QE) properties. Similarly, many laboratories have developed

a wide variety of ﬂuorescent proteins that span the spectra

from GFP

to Plum.

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School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belﬁeld, Dublin 4, Dublin, Ireland

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2.6 Antifading Agents

Fluorescently labeled cells and tissues exhibit a characteristic

photobleaching curve in response to excitation by the light.

Much of the photobleaching can be attributed to the gen-

eration of free radicals. The use of free radical scavengers

has been shown to decrease the rate of photobleaching.

Common scavengers include n-propyl gallate, p-phenylene-

diamine and DABCO (1,4-diazobicyclo-(2,2,2)-octane).

Live systems have been reported to reduce photobleaching

in the presence of vitamin C or Trolox. As the LSFM technol-

ogy reduces greatly the phototoxicity and photobleaching

effects during imaging, we never encounter samples that

require the use of antifading agents so far. However, some

applications may require the use of radical scavengers during

long time imaging of GFP expressing samples as repeated

exposure may lead to a regular increase of the free radical

contents, which might affect its behavior over time.

2.7 Cleaning, Labelling and Storing Samples

One important point about samples is their handling. In the

case of LSFM, all the samples are three dimensional objects

that are mounted to be imaged in a chamber containing

water based medium. They must then be maintained in a

moist environment. Once prepared and prior to imaging,

the samples can be held in a ﬁlled beaker or Falcon tube

ﬁlled with the appropriate medium, e.g. water, PBS (Fig. 15).

One simple solution we have developed in the laboratory is

to use a beaker ﬁlled with the right buffer. The samples are

maintained by using plasticine on the beaker border.

An alternative is to cover the top of the beaker with an

aluminum foil and accommodate the sample holders such as

the 1 ml syringe by drilling a hole in the foil. This handling

technique limits evaporation. More advanced holders can be

designed and manufactured according to need. You will ﬁnd

a couple of examples that we have made in our laboratory2

to handle various size of sample embedding containers.

They include a water tank that keeps the samples moisture

at all time. They are stable and can be easily move from the

laboratory to the microscope as well as stored in the fridge.

As in LSFM there is no need for oil or any speciﬁc chemical

for imaging, the cleaning of samples is not necessary. How-

ever, you can rinse the sample within the capillary or syringe

with water or your speciﬁc buffer after imaging if the chamber

was containing particles, bacteria or other chemicals (dyes,

drugs etc.).

Labeling the samples can be an issue as it can be tricky to

mark the name of every sample on the embedding container

(capillary, syringe…). A simple marking technique is to use

tape roll around the syringe plunger or the capillary. This

must not affect the handling of the sample on the microscope.

Fig. 15 Supports for sample embedding containers. Support are used to hold three dimensional objects that cannot be held ﬂat easily. Moreover,

embedded samples need to be kept in buffer to avoid gel shrinkage or sample damage. A simple system is to use a beaker ﬁlled with PBS and place plasticine on

the upper border to support the sample embedding container (A). More elaborate supports can be made using clips of different sizes for holding syringes (B) or

even capillaries (C).

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Another approach is to number the sample and to register

the detail on a lab book. However, this can be a problem if

you store many sets of samples in the same fridge day after

day.

Sample preparation techniques usually allow long time storage

(parafﬁn embedding, slides…). As long as a few basic rules

are followed (keeping away from light, temperature…) they

can be kept up to years. In the case of LSFM, the samples are

imaged in a water environment and must be always kept wet,

even for long time storage. This can be a challenge. Usually,

we keep ﬁxed samples in the fridge using a sample embedding

container support and we reﬁll the buffer tank from time to

time. However, we never kept samples for more than a month

under such conditions. A longer storage possibility is to use a

water tight container where the samples are kept with enough

water not to dry out. One point to consider is the way the

sample was prepared. Embedded samples may weaken with

time as some gels may not maintain their strength over time

at 4 °C. Hooked samples may as well be loosening and fall

from their support. It may be better to unhook them and store

them in a different type of container.

3 SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF SAMPLE PREPARATION

In order to make this sample preparation section as useful as

possible the following pages describe mounting techniques

for speciﬁc samples, in particular describing the equipment

needed, step by step protocols and illustrations based on our

own laboratory

experiences.

• Fluorescent beads are used for later Landmark Registration

processing of acquired Multiview data, and should be

included during embedding of samples of interest.

Prepare agarose as described in section 3.1 Preparation

of Fluorescent Beads accordingly.

3.1 Preparation of Fluorescent Beads

Samples with ﬂuorescent beads are often used to characterize

the imaging properties of a microscope such as the LSFM. Using

a reproducible sample is an important tool to calibrate the instru-

ment. This protocol describes how to handle ﬂuorescent beads

and to prepare optimal concentrations to image with an LSFM.

Equipment and reagents:

• Fluorescent beads

• 1 % Low Melting Point (LMP) Agarose in deionised water

• Capillary (Size 4, Blue, #701910, BRAND GmbH)

• Sonicator

• Heating block- Vortex

Method

1. Vortex the bead solution to make a homogeneous dispersion.

2. Dilute a small volume of the bead dispersion in deionized

or distilled water to a concentration 100x higher than

the one desired for the specimen. Depending on the size

of the beads and the magniﬁcation required it is ﬁrst

necessary to calculate the bead-agarose ratio (see below).

3. Sonicate the dilution for 5 minutes at maximum power.

4. Prepare a liquid agarose solution of a chosen concentra-

tion (0.5 % - 1 %) and cool it down to just above the

gelling point (usually 38-40 °C).

5. Mix diluted ﬂuorescent beads with the agarose in ratio

1:100 and vortex the mixture. Use a pipette or a capillary

(by sucking in and out the liquid agarose several times)

to mix the bead solution and the agarose thoroughly.

6. Insert an appropriate plunger and Teﬂon tip.

7. Push the plunger through the capillary, so the front end

of the plunger is sticking out of the capillary by a bit

before entering the liquid agarose and sucking the

agarose in. This will avoid air bubble formation at the

plunger.

8. Suck in the agarose/beads by pulling the opposite end of

the wire/plunger.

9. Let the gel polymerize (approx. 5 minutes) before imag-

ing.

10. Make sure that only a very short part of the agarose

lock is pulled out of the glass capillary during image

acquisition.

11. When multiple views are recorded, it is best to image

from the centre of the agarose block.

Beads should be ﬂuorescent in the part of the spectrum

you would like to analyze for 1 channel systems.

With Lightsheet Z.1, a two channel system, one can use one

channel for the beads (e.g., red) and one channel for the

specimen label (e.g, GFP.) Fluorescent beads covering whole

Flood P.M., Kelly R., Gutiérrez-Heredia L. and E.G. Reynaud

School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belﬁeld, Dublin 4, Dublin, Ireland

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visible spectrum are nowadays easily available from various

different suppliers (e.g. Polysciences, Invitrogen, Estapor/

Merck etc.). In our case, the density of the ﬂuorescent beads

is chosen to end up with several hundred beads in the imaged

volume. For example, for a 40x magniﬁcation lens the volume

of interest is around (200 μm)

= 8*10

-6

ml. If the ﬂuorescent

beads are shipped as a solution of 5*10

particles/ml, you

have to dilute them 1:10

in agarose to have approximately

400 particles in the volume of interest. Having too few of

them (less than 100) in the three-dimensional image will give

you no or poor processing results, while too many of them

(more than 1000) might considerably increase processing time

without a signiﬁcantly improving the ﬁnal results.

Moreover, a gel with sufﬁcient stiffness but minimal impact

on the image has to be used to immobilize the beads. 1% low-

melting agarose (Sigma, Type VII) is being routinely applied

for lenses with numerical apertures up to 0.8 NA. For 1.0 NA

objective lenses and above, a more diluted (e.g. 0.5 %) gel

must be used to minimize gel-caused image aberration.

3.2 Preparation of a Medaka Fish Embryo

(Oryza latypes)

Embryos have been extensively used for many decades to

study developmental mechanisms as well as diseases. They

can range from micrometers to centimeters depending on

the species used (frog, ﬁsh, ﬂy, worm, etc.). This protocol

applies to most embryos. The important point is the temper-

ature. The embryo must not be damaged by temperature

shock during embedding. Moreover, the embryo should not

be constraint by the stiffness of the gel. This may impair its

normal development.

Equipment and reagents

• 1.5 % Low Melting Point (LMP) Agarose in E3 (Fish buffer)

• Mesab/Tricaine 0.4 % stock (3-Aminobenzoic Acid Ethyl Ester)

• Capillary (Size 4, Blue, #701910, BRAND GmbH)

• Electrical thread (1,6 mm) or plunger

• Heating block

Method

1. Select embryos for imaging, dechorionate. Melt 1.5 %

LMP agarose, aliquot 0.5 ml into a 1.5 ml Eppendorf

tube. Add 150 ml of Mesab to ensure that the embryos

do not move during imaging. Invert the tube to mix and

allow agarose to cool to 40º C.

2. Add the embryo to the tube containing agarose using a

Pasteur pipette, transferring as little buffer as possible.

• Add the embryo to the Eppendorf tube as a drop on

the tube wall. If necessary remove the extra buffer

with a yellow tip before dropping the embryo into

the agarose. Or transfer the embryo to an empty

Eppendorf tube, remove all medium and add the

liquid agarose.

3. Let the embryo fall to bottom of the Eppendorf tube.

Insert a capillary into the tube and suck the embryo into

it by pulling out the thread or plunger like a syringe piston.

• When sucking up the agarose, make sure that ini-

tially the plunger is sticking out of the capillary with-

in the liquid agarose, to avoid air bubble formation.

Furthermore leave some space between the plunger

and the sample (see Fig. 16/D)

4. Allow the agarose to harden and place the capillary in a

stand in water or PBS.

5. Mount on the capillary sample holder prior to imaging.

Fig. 16 Mounting an Oryza latypes embryo. (A) The embryo is prepared (labelling, drug treatment, dissected...) (B) The embryo is deposited on the side of the Eppen-

dorf tube and the excess of water is removed with a pipette. (C) The embryo is dropped into the agarose and pumped into the capillary. (D) The embryo can be imaged.

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3.3 Preparation of a Fly Pupa (Drosophila melanogaster)

Some type of embryos are hydrophobic once dissected and

cannot be mounted using the technique described above as

they will ﬂoat on the agarose and will be impossible to embed.

The following protocol is suitable for this type of embryo

such as ﬂy embryos or pupas.

Equipment and reagents

• Drosophila melanogaster pupa or embryo

• 1 % Low Melting Point (LMP) Agarose in water or PBS

• Capillary (Size 4, Blue, #701910, BRAND GmbH)

• Heating block (90 °C and 40 °C)

Method (see Figure 17)

1. Choose a pupa Drosophila melanogaster. Melt 1 % LMP

agarose, aliquot 0.5 ml into a 1.5 ml Eppendorf tube.

Invert the tube to mix and allow agarose to cool to 40º C.

2. To allow sample preparation the pupa must be sub-

merged in agarose by pouring it directly on top of it in

a large drop of molten low melting point agarose.

3. The pupa can then be pumped into a capillary as previ-

ously described.

4. The insect can then be imaged.

3.4 Preparation of a Plant Root (Arabidopsis thaliana)

Plant research is an important ﬁeld of investigation using

plants as model systems. They are threedimensional objects

that are difﬁcult to image fully and are usually dissected and

sliced before being imaged and analyzed. This protocol has

been used to mount complete young Arabidopsis thaliana

plants for imaging root development directly on the micro-

scope.

Equipment and reagents

• 1 % Low Melting Point (LMP) agarose in plant buffer

• 1 ml syringes

• Arabidopsis thaliana seeds

• Heating block

Method (see Figure 18)

1. Several agarose beakers are prepared as described in

the enclosed sample section.

2. Instead of pushing out the plunger to extract the aga-

rose beaker, the plunger is pulled in to the end of the

syringe where it can be released leaving the beaker

inside the syringe.

• You need to make a long walled beaker to avoid

inconvenient breakages and leakages that may be

caused by the following steps.

3. A seed of Arabidopsis thaliana is put at the bottom of

the beaker.

4. The beakers are kept in the syringe in a humidiﬁed and

well lit chamber to allow seed germination.

5. Once the root is visible within the bottom part of the

beaker, a normal plunger is inserted in the top part of the

syringe, where the open part of the beaker is present.

6. Push down the beaker into the syringe until the root

can be seen outside of the syringe cylinder

7. The beaker is mounted in the sample chamber ﬁlled

with distilled water or plant growth media at room

temperature.

• As the plant depends on light to grow long-term

imaging must take into account the illumination of

the leaves between imaging sessions.

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3.5 Imaging Cell Cysts in an Extracellular Matrix Gel

Live imaging of cells has been a major tool in cell biology.

For this, cells must be maintained in optimal conditions during

the complete time of the experiment. The incubation options

for the Lighsheet Z.1 are described in another section of this

manual (CHAPTER 1 HARDWARE). However, cells must be

mounted in a way that allows them to hang in front of the

objective from above. This protocol describes one way of

imaging MDCK cells that naturally form cysts when grown in

an extracellular matrix.

Equipment and reagents

• MDCK cells grown in an extracellular matrix (Matrigel,

ExtraCell etc.)

• 1.5 % Low Melting Point (LMP) Agarose in PBS

• Modiﬁed plunger

• Sealing device

• Slitted capillary

• 1 ml syringe

• Capillary holder

• Heating block

• Polytetraﬂuorethylene foil or FPE tube

Method

1. An agarose beaker or a polymer foil chamber is prepared

as previously described in the section 2.2.3 Enclosed

Samples.

2. MDCK cysts are grown in an extracellular matrix gel.

3. Cells can be stained at this stage with live markers

(nuclear, mitochondrial, lysosomal etc.) before mounting.

Fig. 17 Mounting a Drosophila pupa. (A) The pupa is prepared (labeling, drug treatment, dissected...) (B) The pupa is deposited in a watch glass and

covered by melted agarose to embed the hydrophobic pupa. (C) The pupa is then pumped into the capillary. (D) The pupa can be imaged.

Fig. 18 Mounting an Arabidopsis thaliana root. (A) An Arabidopsis thaliana seed is positioned at the bottom of an agarose cylinder (B).

After a few days of development, the root can be seen in the agarose cylinder bottom. (C) The agarose cylinder is pushed out of the syringe for imaging.

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4. Cells within the gel are transferred into the chosen

chamber (agarose, polymer) and mounted in a 37 °C

and CO2 chamber on the LSFM using a cut tip to limit

shearing damage.

• If cells are grown in a different manner it is possible

to mix them with a supporting gel prior to loading

into a chamber. They can also be grown within the

gel already present in an incubation chamber. This

limits damage, shear and temperature changes dur-

ing sample preparation and handling.

5. The agarose incubation chamber is mounted on a speciﬁc

holder. The polymer chamber can be either clipped or

glued to a supportive holder.

• Eukaryotic cells are highly sensitive to environmental

change (temperature, pH, osmotic pressure etc.).

The transfer steps must be rapid and carried out in a

sterile manner (wherever possible) especially for

long term time lapse experiments. It is important to

be gentle and use cut tips and pre-warmed materials

at all times, including the sample chamber.

6. Monitor the cell status during imaging to check viability

and changes.

3.6 Immunostaining and Preparation of MDCK Cell Cysts

Immunoﬂuorescence allows highlighting of speciﬁc proteins

or structures using speciﬁc antibodies. This protocol is used

to perform immunoﬂuorescence on cysts which are three-

dimensional cell structures that can be grown in extracellular

matrix gel such as collagen.

Equipment and reagents

• 1.5 % Low Melting Point (LMP) agarose in water or PBS

• Capillary (Size 4, Blue, #701999, BRAND GmbH)

• Electrical thread (1.6 mm) or plunger

• 4 % paraformaldehyde solution

• Antibodies (primary and secondary)

• PBS

• Triton X-100

• Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) or Foetal Calf Serum (FCS)

• Heating block

Method

1. MDCK cell cysts grown in extracellular matrix are collected

and centrifuged at 500-1000g to pellet the cysts with the

gel.

2. The supernatant is removed and replaced with 4 % para-

formaldehyde and incubated for 15 minutes on a wheel

or rocker to efﬁciently mix the gel pellet within the ﬁxative.

3. The gel is pelleted and the supernatant is replaced by

0.1M glycine to quench the paraformaldehyde, and then

incubated for 10 minutes.

4. The gel pellet is washed twice with PBS (500-1000 g,

5 minutes).

5. The pelleted cysts are permeabilized with PBS/1 % Triton

X-100 for 10 minutes on a wheel orrocker to efﬁciently

mix the gel pellet.

6. The gel pellet is washed twice with PBS (500-1000 g,

5 minutes).

7. The gel is incubated for 10 minutes in PBS/1 % FCS on

a wheel or a rocker to block the extra epitopes and

efﬁciently mix the gel pellet.

8. The gel pellet is incubated with the primary antibodies

at the concentration indicated by the supplier, using a

wheel or rocker to efﬁciently mix the gel pellet.

9. The gel pellet is washed twice with PBS (500-1000g,

5 minutes).

10. The gel pellet is incubated with the secondary antibodies

at the concentration indicated by the supplier,

using a wheel or a rocker to efﬁciently mix the gel pellet.

11. The gel pellet is washed twice with PBS (500-1000 rpm, 5

minutes).

12. The cysts can be stained at this stage with Hoechst to la-

bel the nuclei.

13. The gel is pelleted and as much of the supernatant as

possible is removed.

14. The gel pellet is mixed with low melting point

agarose, mixed and pumped into a capillary.

• The extracellular gel tends to clump once ﬁxed and

may stay as one piece when mounting. Care should

be taken to quickly but efﬁciently resuspend the gel.

15. Allow the agarose to polymerize.

16. Fill the chamber with PBS prior to introduce the sample

for imaging.

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3.7 Preparation of a Whole Mount of a Mosquito

(Anopheles gambiae)

Adult insects are very large objects that can be up to 5 cm

long. Moreover, they have an exoskeleton made of chitin

which is hydrophobic and autoﬂuorescent. This characteristic

allows imaging without labeling by simply using the chitin

autoﬂuorescence to image the insect surface. This protocol

applies to every type of adult insects as well as for various

type of plankton.

Equipment and reagents:

• An adult Anopheles gambiae

• 1.5 % Low Melting Point (LMP) agarose in water or PBS

• 1 ml syringe (BD Biosciences)

• Ethanol (70 %)

• Glycerol (50 %)

• Sucrose

• Heating block

Method

1. Choose an adult Anopheles gambiae and immobilize

it by cold treatment. Melt 1.5 % LMP agarose, aliquot

0.5 ml into a 1.5 ml Eppendorf tube. Invert the tube to

mix and allow agarose to cool to 40º C.

2. To avoid bubble formation on the insect surface that will

affect imaging, the insect must be treated either with

ethanol 70 % (animal death) or using 50 % glycerol or

1 M sucrose to cover the hydrophobic chitin surface prior

to embedding (Fig. 19/B).

3. The syringe is prepared as previously described and ﬁlled

with molten low melting point agarose (40 °C).

4. The insect can then be inserted into the agarose cylinder

and aligned using a needle or forceps (Fig. 19/C).

5. The insect can then be imaged (Fig. 19/D).

This technique can be applied to any insect or similar type of

organism possessing an exoskeleton. Depending on the animal

part to be observed the insect can be aligned differently or

dissected prior to embedding (head, wings, guts, salivary

glands…).

Fig. 19 Mounting a complete adult Anopheles gambiae. (A) The insect is paralyzed. (B) The chitin surface is treated using 70 % ethanol. (C) The insect is

positioned within the melted agarose. (D) The mounted insect is ready for imaging.

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4 TIPS, TROUBLESHOOTING AND

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

4.1 Tips

Protocols

As a general rule, follow the protocol carefully and try it out

well in advance as you may encounter difﬁculties and missing

parts (chemicals…) that may hinder you to use the sample

straight away. The protocols presented in this section are not

the ultimate solution for every problem. They can be improved

and adapted to your need. If you encounter a problem, check

the scientiﬁc literature and the other protocols presented and

see if you can ﬁnd a tip that you may apply to solve your prob-

lem. Be creative.

Safety

Please refer to the safety instructions provided with

Lightsheet Z.1.

Setup Requirements and Maintenance

For optimal performance of Lightsheet Z.1, please check the

Setup Requirements information delivered with the system.

For information about maintenance and cleaning any part of

Lightsheet Z.1, including the optics, please refer to section

2.7 Cleaning, Labelling and Storing Samples.

Refractive index mismatch

Light is refracted when it crosses the interface between two

media of differing refractive indices (RI). Mismatching the

refractive index of the objective immersion medium and

mounting medium is one of the main causes of image degra-

dation in microscopy. Refractive index mismatch results in

stretching/compression of the z-axis. Also, spherical aberration

is worsened by axial spreading of the point-spread function

(PSF) resulting in reduced axial resolution. This phenomenon

is exacerbated with depth and with a high numerical aperture

objective, serious problems arise when imaging deeper than

10 μm into an aqueous sample. The mounting medium and

the immersion medium should be matched. It is not a major

issue in LSFM but this as to be considered when ﬁlling the

imaging chamber in regard to the sample preparation tech-

nique, especially for embedding as gelling agents are used.

4.2 Troubleshooting

Common problems

LSFM is a ﬂuorescence microscopy technique so many trouble-

shooting guidelines from other microscopy techniques apply

here as well. Do not hesitate to ask experts in the ﬁeld, check

the literature, as well as internet resources that may provide

you with a more detailed solution to the problem you have

encountered. Also check with your Lightsheet Z.1 application

specialist from ZEISS for FAQs and tips for troubleshooting.

Sample image is unclear, blurred or has insufﬁcient

contrast.

• This can be a simple optical problem: objectives or ﬁlters

are dirty. Clean them accordingly. You can also check

that all the components are well in place and aligned.

• Your light sheet might not be properly aligned. For

Lightsheet Z.1, please realign the light sheet using the

Light sheet auto-adjust function of the ZEN software.

• You could be imaging through an additional layer of

material: glass, plastic... that belong to the mounting

support and not the sample itself. Please, check the

sample position or move it around to see if another angle

solve the problem as a piece of glue, additional agarose

or part of the mounting material is having a blurring

effect.

• In the case of sample embedding it may occur that the

gelling media is of low quality or badly polymerized.

This leads to an uneven polymerization of the media that

modify the optical path. Try again.

• The light sheet comes from the side and any obstacle

modiﬁes its quality. Check the illumination axis for any

obstacle (capillary, objects…).

• Check if the medium level in the sample chamber has

dropped below the imaging level. The specimen has to

be fully immersed for good image quality.

Sample image is partially obscured or unevenly

illuminated.

• This can be a simple optical problem: objectives or ﬁlters

are dirty. Clean them accordingly. You can also check

that all the components are well in place and aligned.

• Your light sheet might not be properly aligned. For

Lightsheet Z.1, please realign the light sheet using the

Light sheet auto-adjust function of the ZEN software.

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• The light sheet comes from the side and any obstacle

modiﬁes its quality. Check the illumination axis for any

obstacle (capillary, objects…).

Sample signal is weak.

• Human eyes have trouble quickly adjusting to the dark

and it will be hard to discern a very dim ﬂuorescent speci-

men immediately after darkening the room. You may

want to check your sample using another microscope or

a stereomicroscope equipped with a ﬂuorescent lamp.

• It could be an optical problem, e.g. extra ﬁlter in the

optical path, misaligned illumination or dying laser. You

can also increase excitation energy (laser). However, the

risk of bleaching and signal saturation will increase.

• In the case of immunoﬂuorescence, you should increase

antibody concentration or incubation time but this might

in turn increase nonspeciﬁc background signal.

• In the case of GFP signal, the expression level might be

too low or you have photobleached or damaged the GFP

signal during sample preparation (ﬁxation, ethanol treat-

ment, excessive illumination during dissection...).

High background signal within the sample.

• In the case of immunoﬂuorescence, you should decrease

antibody concentration or incubation time

• but this may decrease the overall signal. You can also use

blocking steps during the immunoﬂuorescence (eg. BSA,

FCS…). If preparing tissue section, you should increase

the stringency of the washing steps.

• The imaging chamber may be dirty as well as the media

inside. This contamination affects the quality of the light

sheet and scattering occurs.

• You can apply deconvolution to your stacks afterwards.

The sample is moving.

• If you are imaging live samples, it may be simply due to

life. The sample is moving so you may want to increase

the anesthetic concentration or the agarose concentra-

tion to restrain any movement.

• The mounting is unstable. This occurs if the chosen

material is not properly maintained (bad tweezers,

leaking plunger, badly polymerized agarose…).

For embedded sample preparation, you can improve the

stability by limiting the amount of agarose emerging out

of the syringe or the capillary, as the longer is the agarose

tube the more unstable it will be. You can also tighten

the plunger by sealing it with nail polish to avoid air leak-

age that will lead to gliding of the agarose tube.

• The system table might not be a ﬂoat. Check that it is

connected to the pneumatic supply and the air-dampen-

ing is active.

• The cables are not properly secured with the cable holders

at the system table.

• Other instruments that produce vibrations, not completely

dampened by the system table, are in close proximity

(e.g. fridges, centrifuges, etc.).

• The stage is not properly ﬁtted or damaged and prone to

vibrations. This includes the sample holder and the imag-

ing chamber support.

Optical aberrations

• As in any optical technique, the LSFM has advantages

and disadvantages. Some optical aberrations are more

generals and can be dealt with easily. Do not hesitate to

ask experts in the ﬁeld, check the literature as well as

Internet resources that may provide a more detailed

solution to the problem you have encountered.

• A few optical aberrations are, however, typical for LSFM,

as the optical axis are at a 90 degrees angles. Lines and

stripes occur as any objects blocking the light sheet will

reduce the light intensity leading to a discrepancy along

the illuminated plane. This is often a problem with big

samples, highly scattering samples or sample which have

absorbing structures at the surface of the specimen vol-

ume. Rotating the sample to give a better path for the

light sheet should be considered ﬁrst. Dual Side illumina-

tion and/or Pivot scanning of the light sheet can often

eliminate these effects (available in Lightsheet Z.1)

Second, the sample could be orientated differently

during mounting or partially dissected to limit obstacles.

The concentration of the objects can also be a problem

especially with samples with optical properties (beads,

tubes, glass capillaries…). For example, if you image

large number of cell clusters, you may have a few of

them in the light sheet path. By reducing the amount

of objects, you will automatically reduce the lines and

stripes.

• The use of image processing methods such as deconvo-

lution may help to get rid of those aberrations.

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4.3 Suggested Additional Sources of Information

Chemicals

• Agarose:

− Molecular biology grade, for routine use, SIGMA,

Ref. A-9539

− Type VII, low gelling temperature, SIGMA,

Ref. A-4018-50G

− “Agarose Low Melt” (no 6351.1) from Carl Roth

www.carlroth.com (from the US please contact

Brunschwig Chemie B.V., Amsterdam, NL, e-Mail:

[email protected])

• Gelrite Gellan Gum, SIGMA, Ref. G-1910

• Glycerine anhydrous, AppliChem, Ref. A3552,1000

• Nail Polish, any cosmetic shop near you

• PBS, local supplier

• Distilled water, local supplier

• Ethanol, local supplier

• Companies:

− Sigma- Aldrich (http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/)

− Applichem (http://www.applichem.de/)

− MP BIomedicals (http://www.mpbio.com/)

− Merck KGa (http://www.merck.de/)

Materials

•Capillaries

− 100 μl, color code Blue, Brand GmbH, Ref. 7087 45

− 200 μl, color code Red, Brand GmbH, Ref. 7087 57

•Companies:

− Brand GmbH (http://www.brand.de/en/home/)

− SpectraGlass (http://www.spectraglass.com/)

− Harvard Apparatus (http://www.harvardapparatus.com/)

•Syringes

− 1 ml, BD Plastipak, BD Biosciences, Ref.300013

− 0.5 ml, BD Microﬁne Insulin U100 Syringe, 29 g,

Ref. PLA257L

− 0.3 ml, BD Microﬁne Insulin U100 Syringe, 30 g,

Ref. PLA470U

− Braun Omniﬁx F Solo 1 ml Syringe (PZN 0569881,

Ref. 61706)

− Terumo 1 ml Syringe (Ref. BS-01T)

Pipettes

− 2 ml serological pipette, FALCON, BD Labware,

Ref.35 7507

− 1 ml serological pipette, FALCON, BD Labware,

Ref.35 7521

Equipment

For the following, please refer to your local lab supply

companies:

• Heating blocks

• Stereomicroscope

• Scalpels

• Tweezers

• Dissection Needles

• Watch glass

• Sonicator

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4.4 References and Further Reading

• Buytaert, J.A.N. et al., 2011. The OPFOS Microscopy Family: High-Resolution Optical Sectioning of Biomedical Specimens.

Anatomy research international, 2012.

• Capoulade, J. et al., 2011. Quantitative ﬂuorescence imaging of protein diffusion and interaction in living cells.

Nature biotechnology, 29(9), pp.835–839.

• Dodt, H.U. et al., 2007. Ultramicroscopy: three-dimensional visualization of neuronal networks in the whole mouse brain.

Nature methods, 4(4), pp.331–336.

• Ejsmont, R.K. et al., 2009. A toolkit for high-throughput, cross-species gene engineering in Drosophila. Nature methods.

• Engelbrecht, C.J. et al., 2007. Three-dimensional laser microsurgery in light-sheet based microscopy (SPIM).

Optics Express, 15(10), pp.6420–6430.

• Engelbrecht, C.J., Voigt, F. & Helmchen, F., 2010. Miniaturized selective plane illumination microscopy for high-contrast

in vivo ﬂuorescence imaging. Optics letters, 35(9), pp.1413–1415.

• Fahrbach, F.O. & Rohrbach, A., 2010. A line scanned light-sheet microscope with phase shaped selfreconstructing beams.

Optics Express, 18(23), pp.24229–24244.

• Fuchs, E. et al., 2002. Thin laser light sheet microscope for microbial oceanography. Optics Express, 10(2), p.145.

• Hama H, Kurokawa H, Kawano H, Ando R, Shimogori T, Noda H, Fukami K, Sakaue-Sawano A, Miyawaki A. 2011.

Scale: a chemical approach for ﬂuorescence imaging and reconstruction of transparent mouse brain. Nat Neurosci.

14(11):1481-8.

• Hofman, R. et al., 2008. Morphology and function of Bast’s valve: additional insight in its functioning using

D-reconstruction. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 265(2), pp.153–157.

• Hofman, R., Segenhout, J. & Wit, H., 2009. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the guinea pig inner ear, comparison of

OPFOS and light microscopy, applications of 3D reconstruction. Journal of microscopy, 233(2), pp.251–257.

• Holekamp, T.F., Turaga, D. & Holy, T.E., 2008. Fast three-dimensional ﬂuorescence imaging of activity in neural populations

by objective-coupled planar illumination microscopy. Neuron, 57(5), pp.661–672.

• Huber, D., Keller, M. & Robert, D., 2001. 3D light scanning macrography. Journal of microscopy, 203(2), pp.208–213.

• Huisken, J. et al., 2004. Optical sectioning deep inside live embryos by selective plane illumination microscopy.

Science, 305(5686), pp.1007–1009.

• Jährling, N. et al., 2010. Three-dimensional reconstruction and segmentation of intact Drosophila by ultramicroscopy.

Frontiers in systems neuroscience, 4.

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• Kalinka, A.T. et al., 2010. Gene expression divergence recapitulates the developmental hourglass model.

Nature, 468(7325), pp.811–814.

• Karaköylü, E.M. et al., 2009. Copepod feeding quantiﬁed by planar laser imaging of gut ﬂuorescence.

Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 7, pp.33–41.

• Kaufmann, A. et al., 2012. Multilayer mounting enables long-term imaging of zebraﬁsh development in a light sheet

microscope. Development, 139(17), pp.3242–3247.

• Keller, P.J. et al., 2008. Three-Dimensional Microtubule Behavior in Xenopus Egg Extracts Reveals Four Dynamic States

and State-Dependent Elastic Properties. Biophysical journal, 95(3), pp.1474–1486.

• Lorenzo, C. et al., 2011. Live cell division dynamics monitoring in 3D large spheroid tumor models using light sheet microscopy.

Cell Division, 6(1), p.22.

• Maizel, A. et al., 2011. High-resolution live imaging of plant growth in near physiological bright conditions using light sheet

ﬂuorescence microscopy. The Plant Journal, 68(2), pp.377–385.

• Mertz, J. & Kim, J., 2010. Scanning light-sheet microscopy in the whole mouse brain with HiLo background rejection.

Journal of biomedical optics, 15(1).

• Olarte, O.E. et al., 2012. Image formation by linear and nonlinear digital scanned light-sheet ﬂuorescence microscopy

with Gaussian and Bessel beam proﬁles. Biomedical Optics Express, 3(7), pp.1492–1505.

• Pampaloni, F., Reynaud, E.G. & Stelzer, E.H.K., 2007. The third dimension bridges the gap between cell culture and

live tissue. Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 8(10), pp.839–845.

• Ritter, J.G. et al., 2008. High-contrast single-particle tracking by selective focal plane illumination microscopy.

Optics express, 16(10), pp.7142–7152.

• Rubio-Guivernau, J.L. et al., 2012. Wavelet-based image fusion in multi-view three-dimensional microscopy.

Bioinformatics, 28(2), pp.238–245.

• Santi, P.A. et al., 2009. Thin-sheet laser imaging microscopy for optical sectioning of thick tissues.

Biotechniques, 46(4), p.287.

• Scherz, P.J. et al., 2008. High-speed imaging of developing heart valves reveals interplay of morphogenesis and function.

Development, 135(6), pp.1179–1187.

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5 Index

Antifading Agents

FEP Tubing

Fixation and Fixatives

LSFM

Sample Mounting

Materials and Equipment

Sample Chambers

Molding and Mounting Supports

Sample Holder

Gels and Polymers

Hydrogel Preparation

Sample

Holding

Sample Preparation

Preparation of Fluorescent Beads

Preparation of a Medaka Fish Embryo

Preparation of a Fly Pupa

Preparation of a Plant Root

Samples

Embedded

Hanging

Enclosed

Cleaning, Labelling, and Storing

Stains and Staining

Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH

07745 Jena, Germany

BioSciences

[email protected]

www.zeiss.com/microscopy

EN_41_011_058 | CZ 10-2013 | Design, scope of delivery and technical progress subject to change without notice. | © Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH