The OASIS Fiberscope System from Mightex
Fully Modular Fiber-microscopic Platform
The OASIS Photometry and OASIS Fiberscope product line is a revolutionary fiber-based microscope ('Fiberscope') system designed for applications ranging from fiber-photometry, in vivo fiber based imaging, cellular-resolution optogenetics and reporter dye imaging (calcium, voltage, neurotransmitter-sensors, etc.) in freely moving and behaving animals. It is more than just a product, it is a fully modular fiber-microscopic platform, allowing for both fiber photometry and advanced fiber microscopy with cellular resolution optical stimulation precisely tailored to the experiment and flexible enough to co-evolve with changing research needs.
The OASIS Fiberscope Base Module
The OASIS Fiberscope base module features two light receiving ports (on the backside), each working with a mechanical slider in line to quickly choose one out of three preselected dichroic mirrors in the optical pathway. The light receiving ports can either be connected to one or two independent light sources, or also to a Polygon 1000 pattern illumination module – depending on the application and requirement – for highest experimental flexibility and adaptation.
The fiber connecting (SMA) port accepts wide variety of optical fibers for experiments ranging from simple fiber photometry and widefield fluorescence (solid fiber-) imaging at the population level (e.g., calcium, fluorescent antibodies, VSD) to spatially highly resolved single-cell imaging and optical stimulation through delicate fiber bundles.
When a Polygon pattern projector is connected to one port of the fiberscope, a unique optic allows to couple the DMD-generated pattern directly into a delicate fiber bundle (up to 30.000 microfibers per fiber!). With that, precise light targeting and interaction with individual neurons or cell groups in awake, behaving animals is becoming possible. When configured well, continuous imaging at a second wavelength can happen at the same time as optical pattern stimulation.
Although Mightex offers good and affordable own camera solutions, the OASIS base module’s c-mount camera port equally accepts high grade scientific cameras of leading manufacturers to record signals without losses and at highest resolution, sensitivity and framerates.
The OASIS Fiberscope as a Photometer
In its simplest and entry-level configuration, the OASIS Fiberscope functions as a classical camera-based fiber-photometer, providing optical readouts of fluorescent information at the cell population level. A single LED light source is connected to the first port of the OASIS base unit through a 3 mm lightguide adaptor and the resulting fluorescence signal from the probe is recorded directly by the camera (or a photodetector) after passing a classical filter cube.
This setup configuration allows monitoring of summed activity from a group of cells, including calcium dynamics, membrane depolarization using voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs), reporters of neurotransmitters or other wide-field imaging signals. The Polyscan4 software allows to correlate fluorescence increases of any reporter easily with behavioral, systemic observations through digital timestamps.
Photometer Configuration
With the recent integration of the multicolor activation module (FPM), the OASIS photometry system can be configured to simultaneously record three distinct fluorescence reporter signals, in addition to one isosbestic reference channel. Multi-furcated fibers allow to record from 1, 2, 5, 7 or 19 animals in parallel (alternatively different regions of one larger organ) for a higher throughput and quicker data generation. When optionally incorporating the laser-based wide-field optogenetic stimulation tool into the second port of the OASIS base module, it becomes possible to independently stimulate each connected fiber with light of different wavelengths, and that way integrate widefield optogenetic actuator activation into the experimental setting in parallel. No other fiber-photometry platform currently offers comparable flexibility, multimodality and scalability.
All stimulation events and recorded activity traces can be synchronized and correlated with behavioral observations via timestamps. The system can also send or receive TTL pulses, enabling closed-loop setting configurations and seamless integration with third-party components. Mightex also provides a photometry application-specific software plugin for streamlining and facilitating the experimental workflow.
Simultaneously Data Recording with Multi-fibers
The use of multi-furcated fibers allows recording of up to 19 subjects in parallel, allowing a much faster data generation. Each subject in the setup can deliver data from up to 3 fluorescent reporters and be optogenetically adressed at the same time.
Photometer Software
The Fiber Photometry software module within Polyscan4 supports:
- Multi-panel display for rapid experimental overview when using several fibers
- De-interleaved traces for each ROI to isolate flurescence specific signal fluctuations
- Overlaid timestamps of triggered events
- Quick access to LED settings
- One-click-switch between data review/analysis and data collection
The OASIS Fiberscope As a Microscope
Imaging and Cellular-resolution Targeted In-vivo Optogenetics
The OASIS configured as a fiberscope is a revolutionary platform for simultaneous cellular-resolution optogenetics and calcium imaging in freely-behaving animals to probe and interact with complex neuronal networks. Equipped with a multicore fiber (up to 30.000 ultrathin fibers), The OASIS Fiberscope allows cellular resolution imaging and parallel optical stimulation. Effective resolution of light application is as low as 3 µm – an unmatched spatial resolution for InVivo optical stimulation.
By keeping the microscope unit away from the animal‘s head, this approach accomplishes three main goals:
- Better images and option to stimulate in parallel to permanent imaging
- Reduced stress and with that lower experimental bias due to three times lighter headstagess
- Multi-region imaging via bifurcated fibers
By integrating a Polygon 1000 pattern illumination system into one of the two ports of the OASIS base unit (configuration shown left), the system enables parallel calcium (or any other neurotransmitter markers’) imaging and cellular-resolution optogenetic stimulation at the same time.
It is currently the only Fiberscope on the market that combines both high-resolution imaging and simultaneous cellular-level optical stimulation capabilities.
The light pattern generated by the Polygon’s DMD is directly coupled into a delicate fiber bundle or thousands of microfibers, preserving the pattern’s spatial (X/Y) information and delivering light stimuli precisely into the desired target brain region. This allows individual neurons or defined neuron groups to be selectively activated or inhibited in vivo while the animal engages in normal behavior.
With the unique OASIS Fiberscope’s built, cell targeted optical stimulation can even be done on the background of uninterrupted imaging of reporters when wavelengths are well selected.
Using Mightex’s unique bifurcated fibers, it is even possible to simultaneously probe two distinct brain areas or also correlate or bridge activity between the brain and the peripheral nervous system. The extended Mightex software package, PolyScan4 PRO grants direct hardware access via TCP/IP protocols in real time and that way enables ultra-fast closed-loop stimulation, opening up a wide range of advanced experimental configurations.
Benefits of the OASIS Fiberscope System
(Video with courtesy of Mightex)
The OASIS in Roam Configuration
Commutator for Maximum Freedom of Movement
Most experimental settings in behavioral and neuroscience research require the continuous observation of an animal’s movement that includes frequent changes in the walking direction while the optical recording or stimulation needs to be done.
The OASIS setup with Rotation Adaptive Mechanism (ROAM) incorporates state-of-the-art technology that allows the imaging fibers to rotate freely to follow that movement without distortion and only minimal momentum and friction. That way only minimal torque on the animal’s head is generated when the animal pivots, providing the highest degree of unrestrained natural movement for ethologically relevant studies of various behaviors.
An optional robust mounting stand as seen on the left positions the OASIS base unit directly above the arena or animal’s home cage enabling the animal to act and behave normal and with minimal stress and experimental bias.
Ultimate Lightweight Imaging Headstages
Compared to Miniscopes (implantable in vivo microscopes) which have gained significant interest in recent years, this fiberscope approach imposes far less weight, momentum and friction on the animals head, significantly reducing stress during the experiment while improving signal quality. This concept hence improves animal welfare while simultaneously minimizing the experimental bias.
Mightex offers a very wide range of optical fibers, headmounts and adapters, including solid multimode fibers for standard fiber photometry and microfiber bundles with up to 30.000 microfibers.
We’re Happy to Assist!
As your trusted and competent partner, we support you in configuring your setup for optimal performance in your specific application. The use of the modular Mightex devices requires a set of well selected proprietary mechanical and optical adapters and items. But don‘t worry about configuring all the bits and pieces yourself, just let us know what you intend to do and from where you want to start and we make it work – smooth, personally and independent - without any risks of missing something or over-configuring the planned setup.
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