Nikon Ti-U Inverted Fluorescence and DIC Microscope Electrophysiology Rig with Sutter MP-285 Micromanipulator and HEKA EPC10 Patch Clamp System

The Nikon Ti-U Electrophysiology Rig is a fully manual inverted fluorescence and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope platform designed for advanced patch clamp electrophysiology applications and live-cell imaging. It integrates a Sutter MP-285 high-precision micromanipulator, enabling submicron manipulation critical for single-cell electrophysiological recording, paired with the HEKA EPC10 USB digital patch clamp amplifier which provides high-fidelity voltage and current clamp data acquisition controlled by PatchMaster software.

Key technical specifications include:

• Microscope Base: Nikon Eclipse Ti-U inverted microscope with manual control for flexible sample visualization, suited for biological and materials science research, especially in biotechnology and molecular diagnostics.
• Optics:
• Total magnification range: 40x to 200x (expandable up to 1000x with additional objectives)
• Objective turret with 6 positions including high-quality Plan Fluor and Plan Apo VC objectives
• DIC components (T-A2 analyzer, T-P2 polarizer, 10x and 20x DIC prisms) for enhanced contrast of transparent specimens
• Fluorescence System:
• Motorized 6-position fluorescence filter cube turret with three included new filter sets (DAPI, FITC/EGFP, TRITC/Cy3, Texas Red, Cy5) compatible with common fluorophores for multi-channel fluorescence imaging
• EXFO X-Cite 120 metal halide illumination with collimating adapter for consistent excitation light
• Stage and Manipulation:
• Mechanical XY stage with 70 x 50 mm travel and Sutter stage attachment
• Sutter MP-285 micromanipulator with controller and joystick for precise electrode positioning
• Electrophysiology Equipment:
• HEKA EPC10 USB patch clamp amplifier with headstage and PatchMaster software license dongle
• Live data acquisition capability, including full software-controlled amplification and analysis, essential for neuroscience and molecular neurobiology research
• Environmental Controls:
• TMC Anti-Vibration Air Isolators to mitigate lab vibrations for stable imaging and recordings
• Faraday cage enclosure to shield from electromagnetic interference critical in sensitive electrophysiology measurements
• Imaging and Recording:
• Bestscope 8.3 MP color CMOS camera for high-resolution image acquisition
• Software tools allow still image capture, live video, annotation, and quantitative measurement with linear calibration functions
• Upgrade and Customization Options:
• Additional filter cubes and light sources (LED, Xenon) for expanded fluorescence capabilities
• Higher magnification and apochromatic objectives for enhanced resolution
• Motorized XY stage and advanced CCD, sCMOS, EMCCD cameras for biophotonic applications
• Optional phase contrast and polarization modules for improved visualization of unstained or transparent specimens

This rig is widely used in neurophysiology, cell imaging, molecular diagnostics, and bioprocessing research. Its modular configuration supports live-cell fluorescence imaging combined with precise patch clamp electrophysiology, making it essential in biotechnology workflows involving gene editing, synthetic biology, and cellular electrophysiological studies.

Overall, this system provides robust capabilities for detailed electrophysiological characterization of biological samples while offering flexibility to customize according to specific research applications such as biomedical engineering, pharmacological screening, and cellular neurobiology.

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Keywords included: inverted fluorescence microscope, DIC microscopy, patch clamp electrophysiology rig, Sutter MP-285 micromanipulator, HEKA EPC10 patch clamp amplifier, live-cell imaging, fluorescence filter sets, biophotonics, neuroscience research, molecular diagnostics, biotechnology applications, gene editing workflows, synthetic biology research, neurophysiology, bioprocessing, electrophysiological characterization, anti-vibration table, Faraday cage.

This product description targets laboratory buyers and researchers needing a fully integrated electrophysiology and fluorescence imaging system with high precision and configurability for advanced cell physiology and biotechnological research applications.