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Tanya,

It uses "structured illumination", based on Abbe's work, and a
completely different process to confocal. I can't seem to access the
Optigrid site, but if you go to Zeiss US, their Apotome is very
similar, and uses the same principles (it's based on the same work by
Abbe, and is intended to compete directly with Optigrid). There's a
pretty good description of the method on their site. It's a neat
system, based on optics, but it does use math. Confocal is optics
only (unless you get fancy).
Neither Apotome nor Optigrid require lasers (or if Optigrid does,
there's no physical reason for it). This saves lots of operations
money.
Both use a brightfield image, but I don't see any a priori reason
they shouldn't work with darkfield or DIC. Both should work with
fluorescence. ("Should" because it's morning and I don't have the web
sites in front of me.)
Both are *lots* cheaper than confocal of any variety and especially
laser scanning confocal. $30,000 for Apotome?
Both should be usable on live cells and have much faster acquisition
rates than LSCM, but not as fast (potentially) as spinning-disc
confocal.
Apotome only works on Zeiss 'scopes, I'm sure. Optigrid should work
on any 'scope with the right ports -- but may require
infinity-corrected optics, and so not work on 160mm or 170mm 'scopes.
I don't know, but this should be checked.
I think the Apotome is better than the Optigrid, but requires a Zeiss 'scope.
Neither would replace a confocal, BUT most people using confocals
don't really need them -- they're just the fashion. Optigrid or
Apotome would do them fine for imaging, and maybe provide them with
other benefits LSCM can't.

Say "hi" to Tina for me!

Phil

>Dear List,
>
>Does anyone own an OptiGrid? If so, how does it compare to the Laser
>Scanning Confocal Microscopes? Is it competitive?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Tanya

--
Philip Oshel
Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison,  WI  53706 - 1284
voice: (608) 263-4162
fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)