Leica
Microsystems has signed an agreement with the Max Planck Society and the German Cancer
Research Center
for the development of the next generation of super-resolution STED (stimulated
emission depletion) microscopy. This gives Leica the license to develop the new
technology, called gated STED, into a commercial product and put it on the
market.
Professor
Stefan Hell, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry,
has taken his idea of STED microscopy a step further with gated STED: The
technology significantly improves the resolution and contrast previously
attained with CW-STED (continuous-wave stimulated emission depletion) microscopy,
while reducing laser intensity. This enhances photostability as well as live
cell capability, extending the range of possible applications. Also, gated STED technology will increase the number of
questions that can be addressed with STED fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
(STED-FCS). The main application of gated STED FCS will be the
observation of molecule movements in the membrane of living cells.
The
new product of Leica Microsystems will be launched in the first half of the
year 2012. Thanks to Leica’s modular concept, the Leica TCS SP5 and Leica TCS
STED CW confocal systems already on the market can be upgraded with gated STED.
Leica
Microsystems, www.leica-microsystems.com
