Microscope for high-resolution and specific analysis of biological substances, and method of analysis
The subject of the invention is a microscope for high-resolution and specific analysis of biological substances. The microscope according to the invention is characterized by a power supply unit capable of generating constant current attached to the microscope housing; a set of mirrors and illuminating optics; a collimator placed between a monochromatic light source emitting light in a very narrow range of wavelengths and the collector lens; a dark-field condenser and objective including an in-between space to accommodate the stained biological specimen; and a surveillance camera or eyepiece, and a removable color filter placed between the objective and the surveillance camera or the eyepiece. The invention also covers the method to analyze biological specimens with fluorescent staining, wherein the biological contents of the specimen are analyzed in a growing medium in liquid state after the addition of antibodies marked with fluorescent stain, using the microscope according to the invention. The microscope according to the invention enables up to one order of magnitude higher resolution than conventional light microscopes and 10-30% higher resolution compared to currently used dark-field microscopes and provides a remarkably sharper camera image.
1 . A microscope for high-resolution dark field and specific fluorescence analysis of biological substances at the same time, comprising: a microscope housing; a power supply unit capable of generating constant current attached to the microscope housing; a set of mirrors; a monochromatic light source of a wavelength of 450±10 nm or a UV light source, the monochromatic light source emitting blue or green light or the UV light source emitting UV light; a collimator, which is in the shape of a tube, and being placed between the monochromic light source or the UV light source and a collector lens; a dark-field condenser and an objective including an in-between space between the dark-field condenser and the objective to accommodate a stained biological specimen; a surveillance camera or eyepiece; and a removable color filter between the objective and the surveillance camera or the eyepiece.
2 . The microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the monochromatic light source is a blue LED, having a wavelength of 450 nm, with a maximum current draw of 3000 milliamperes, set at a luminous power of 900-1500 lumens.
3 . The microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the collector lens is the collector lens of a lamphouse of a dark-field microscope.
4 . The microscope according to claim 1 , wherein an LED light source is used as the monochromatic light source, the LED light source is attached to a heat sink having a minimum surface of approximately 35 cm 2 .
5 . A microscope for high-resolution dark field and specific fluorescence analysis of biological substances at the same time, comprising: a microscope housing; a power supply unit capable of generating constant current attached to the microscope housing; a set of mirrors; a monochromatic light source of a wavelength of 450±10 nm or a UV light source, the monochromatic light source emitting blue or green light or the UV light source emitting UV light; the collimator is in the shape of a tube placed between the monochromic light source or the UV light source and a collector lens; a dark-field condenser and an objective including an in-between space between the dark-field condenser and the objective to accommodate a stained biological specimen; a surveillance camera or eyepiece; and a removable color filter between the objective and the surveillance camera or the eyepiece, wherein the collimator has a dull white internal surface and an internal diameter matching that of the collector lens and its length is equal to the focal length of the collector lens.
6 . A method for the analysis of biological specimens with fluorescent staining, comprising: analyzing biological contents of a specimen in a growing medium in liquid state after the addition of antibodies marked with fluorescent stain, using the microscope according to claim 1 .
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the analysis is performed on the specimen in a cell culture medium.
8 . The microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the dark-field condenser is a cardioid dark-field condenser.
9 . The microscope according to claim 5 , wherein the monochromatic light source is a blue LED, having a wavelength of 450 nm, with a maximum current draw of 3000 milliamperes, set at a luminous power of 900-1500 lumens.
10 . The microscope according to claim 5 , wherein the collector lens is the collector lens of a lamphouse of a dark-field microscope.
11 . The microscope according to claim 5 , wherein an LED light source is used as the monochromatic light source, the LED light source is attached to a heat sink having a minimum surface of approximately 35 cm 2 .
12 . The microscope according to claim 5 , wherein the dark-field condenser is a cardioid dark-field condenser.
13 . A method for the analysis of biological specimens with fluorescent staining, comprising: analyzing biological contents of a specimen in a growing medium in liquid state after the addition of antibodies marked with fluorescent stain, using the microscope according to claim 5 .
14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the analysis is performed on the specimen in a cell culture medium.