PTFL ultramicrotome-mounted fluorescence location system

The new RMC Boeckeler PTFL fluorescence location system, developed from a collaboration between the Francis Crick Institute and RMC, is an ultramicrotome-mounted microscope, capable of imaging fluorescent features in a resin block during trimming and sectioning. With the PTFL, resin embedded samples can be quickly evaluated and the ROI (region of interest) targeted.

The operator can track the ROI during trimming until the fluorescent features reach the block surface. The researcher can then collect ultrathin sections of only the ROI for TEM (on grids) and SEM (e.g. silicon).

For Serial Block Face SEM and Focused Ion Beam SEM, the trimmed blockface containing the ROI can be removed and mounted for volume EM.

Save time: on-the-fly targeting of fluorescent ROIs can save many hours

Save costs: reducing user time, microscope time and data storage

Save storage space: data is only acquired from the ROIs, with big savings in data storage and handling requirements.