Purchase_description.pdf

Version 11-30-2016-1 FAR Part 11—Describing Agency Needs

PURCHASE DESCRIPTION

1. Statement of Need and Purpose: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is purchasing an Olympus FV3000 confocal microscope system for the Behavioral Neuroscience Branch; the system will also be shared as needed with other NIDA IRP Branches. It will be used to determine neural mechanisms in the brain that mediate different animal behavioral models used in drug addiction research. More specifically, this microscope will be used to analyze fluorescently labeled elements in brain sections that were altered by drug experience. These elements in brain include fluorescently labeled molecules and neural elements (dendritic spines) that are regulated during drug experience, or allow the drug-related circuitry of the brain to be visualized in general, or how neural activity is regulated during drug experience. This microscope allows us to do this work with spatial resolution that is a magnitude better than what we are currently capable of in the branch, as well as allowing us to see more elements labeled by more differently colored fluorescent markers than currently possible. A much greater rate of image capture will allow us to assess neural activity with greater temporal resolution in the brains of animals that are performing behaviors. This will allow us to answer critical questions about how drug experience alters the brain to produce the different behavioral components of addiction, such as drug craving, dependence, and learned associations between cues and drugs of abuse, that were not previously possible for our branch to answer.

2. Background Information and Objective: We want to determine the neural mechanisms in the brain that mediate drug craving and other animal behavior models of drug addiction. The microscope system is primarily for the Behavioral Neuroscience Branch (BNRB), but can be shared as needed with other NIDA IRP branches. The BNRB does not have a confocal microscope, which has become the standard for neuroscience research over the past 10 years. In the past, we had been borrowing time on confocal microscopes in other branches. However, during the past few years, the number of users and projects requiring a confocal microscope have grown within our branch and in other branches. The result has been less time made available for BNRB users on these other microscopes at the same time that our needs have greatly grown.

The situation has now arisen where we cannot do our required research without having a confocal microscope in our branch for our use. Additionally, we chose a specific microscope system design with more features that better suits our needs than the other microscope systems at NIDA IRP.

3. Generic Name of Product: Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope

4. Purchase Description: The Olympus FV3000 microscope system is a latest generation laser scanning confocal microscope with several unique features that combined contribute to increased confocal imaging speed, sensitivity, spectral resolution, optical resolution, and imaging depth:

• Software selectable high-definition galvanometer scanner and high-speed resonance scanner in single confocal system provides highly flexible system for both fixed and live tissue imaging.

• Fastest available resonance scanner for high-speed confocal imaging capable of 30 frames/sec @512x512 pixels and up to 438 frames/sec @512x32 pixels with scanning field number of 18 and continuously adjustable zoom ratios of 1.0x to 8.0x in 0.1x increments. Proprietary non-linear pixel sampling algorithm provides even illumination and spatially accurate data across full field-of view with resonance scanning.

Collectively, these features create a high-speed imaging system for improved temporal resolution of dynamic cellular events with minimal loss in image quality.

• Non-oxidizing silver-coated galvanometer scanning mirrors provide 5- 15% improvement in reflection across the visible spectrum compared to standard aluminum scanning mirrors for improved emission collection efficiency. 4 channels of high-sensitivity Peltier-cooled GaAsP photomultiplier tubes provide 45% quantum efficiency and a 20% reduction in background noise compared to standard multi-alkali photomultiplier tubes. Collectively, these design features dramatically improve confocal imaging sensitivity for improved detection of rare signals and reduced cellular phototoxicity during live-cell imaging.

• Olympus patented Volume Phase Hologram spectral detection system provides 1nm spectral precision and 2nm spectral resolution for all confocal detection channels. Multichannel spectral detection mode facilitates simultaneous 4-channel lambda scan with completely independent voltage settings on each photomultiplier tube. Collectively, these design features permit unlimited system flexibility to adjust for any fluorophore within the spectral range of 400-800nm as well as the ability to separate and discern spectrally similar fluorophores (up to 16) including autofluorescence.

• All diode laser combiner provides seven wavelengths of excitation (405nm, 445nm, 488nm, 515nm, 561nm, 594nm, 640nm) as well as up to 20,000 hours of laser life

• Unique optical design permits even confocal illumination for objectives ranging from 1.25x to 150x magnification.

• Olympus-exclusive Silicone Immersion Objectives are optimized for use with 1.406 refractive index silicone oil providing a better refractive index match to cells & tissue than water or traditional immersion oil for brighter & deeper cell/tissue imaging. Silicone Oil also does not evaporate nor degrade permitting very long live-cell/tissue time-lapse imaging.

Additionally, Olympus Silicone Immersion Objectives provide greater working distance than most traditional immersion objectives while still retaining high numerical aperture (30x - 1.05NA & 800um WD; 40x - 1.25NA & 300um WD; 60x – 1.3NA & 300um WD; 100x - 1.35NA & 200um WD). Finally, the Olympus Silicone Immersion Objectives incorporate the Olympus Plan Super Apochromat design to provide full compensation for both planar and chromatic aberrations from the Visible to the near infrared region for precise multicolor colocalization imaging.

• Olympus-exclusive Super Corrected 60x Objective provides industry leading sub-resolution axial and lateral chromatic correction for precise multi-color colocalization from 405nm-650nm

• Olympus Super Resolution (FV-OSR) permits simultaneous or sequential 4 channel super resolution confocal microscopy with resolutions down to 120nm without the need for special fluorophores

• Olympus-exclusive Biggs ADVMLE constrained iterative deconvolution algorithm providing improved resolution, contrast and dynamic range without the need for objective-specific PSF measurements

5. Salient characteristics

System Configuration – The Olympus FLUOVIEW® FV3000 confocal laser scanning microscope combines high-performance imaging capabilities with ease of use so researchers can collect relevant imaging data quickly and easily. The FV3000 offers flexibility for all live-cell imaging applications, providing high spatial resolution images of structures and high temporal resolution images of dynamic intracellular processes. The Olympus TruSpectral detection system is optimized for maximum efficiency when delivering emission light to detectors, giving users the freedom to dial in the exact wavelength range they wish to capture in every detection channel at nanometer precision.

6. Quantity: One microscope

7. Delivery Date: as soon as possible within 4 months.

8. Period of Performance: N/A