A SIMPLE WATER-IMMERSION CONDENSER FOR IMAGING LIVING BRAIN-SLICES ONAN INVERTED MICROSCOPE

Due to some physical limitations of conventional condensers, inverted compound microscopes are not optimally suited for imaging living brain slices with transmitted light. Herein is described a simple device th at converts an inverted microscope into an effective tool for this app lication by utilizing an objective as a condenser. The device is mount ed on a microscope in place of the condenser, is threaded to accept a water immersion objective, and has a slot for a differential interfere nce contrast (DIG) slider. When combined with infrared video technique s, this device allows an inverted microscope to effectively image livi ng cells within thick brain slices in an open perfusion chamber. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science B.V.