Abstract: An apparatus for a microscope system is provided. The apparatus comprising one or more processors and one or more storage devices. The one or more processors are configured to receive region information about an accessible spatial region for an objective of the microscope system and to trigger a restriction of a relative movement of the objective based on the region information.

Abstract: An imaging device for imaging a sample includes an excitation unit configured to emit excitation light for exciting a first fluorophore attached to a first feature of the sample and at least a second feature of the sample, and a detection unit configured to receive fluorescence light from the first fluorophore, and generate at least one fluorescence image from the received fluorescence light. The imaging device further includes a controller configured to determine, based on an image segmentation, a first image region of the fluorescence image corresponding to the first feature and a second image region of the fluorescence image corresponding to the second feature, generate a first image based on the first image region and a second image based on the second image region, and/or generate a composite image comprising at least the first image region and the second image region.

Abstract: A method for laser microdissection includes: processing a microscopic examination object by a laser beam using tuples of coordinate values which respectively indicate positions of target points on the examination object at least in a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction orthogonal to the first spatial direction, positions of at least three reference points being ascertained beforehand in each case in the first and second spatial directions and also in a third spatial direction orthogonal to the first and second spatial directions; defining a reference plane based on the positions of the reference points; and determining, for the target points, further coordinate values indicating an expected position of the target points on the examination object in the third spatial direction in each case, as determined further coordinate values, the determining of the further coordinate values being performed depending on the defined reference plane.

Abstract: A sample manipulation device includes a manipulation light source configured to emit manipulation light, an objective configured to focus the manipulating light onto the sample to form a manipulation light beam, a scanning unit configured to move the manipulation light beam within a field of view of the objective, a sample positioning unit configured to move the sample relative to an optical axis of the objective, and a controller configured to receive manipulation data comprising at least one manipulation path, upon determining that the manipulation path is entirely outside the predetermined area, control the manipulation light source and the scanning unit such that the sample is manipulated along the manipulation path, and upon determining that at least a part of the manipulation path is inside the predetermined area, control the sample positioning unit to move the sample such that the manipulation path is entirely outside the predetermined area.

Abstract: A method includes applying a liquid cover to a microscopic sample to obtain a processed microscopic sample, generating at least one marker for a part of the processed microscopic sample using an imaging system, removing at least a part of the liquid cover from the processed microscopic sample to obtain an uncovered microscopic sample, and extracting a part of the uncovered microscopic sample, based on the at least one marker, to obtain an extracted part.

Abstract: A method for checking a dissection process in a laser microdissection system includes carrying out the dissection process for cutting out a dissectate from an object in a first region of the object by a laser beam. First image data is acquired of at least the first region of the object after the dissection process. It is examined whether the first image data has sharp structures within a region to be separated by the dissection process in order to determine whether the dissection process was successful.

Abstract: A device for examining microscope specimens includes a microscope, wherein the microscope specimens include an object to be examined by the microscope and a specimen carrier holding the object, and wherein the device is configured to calculate a digital identification code of the microscope specimen by fingerprinting the microscope specimen using at least one optical marker in at least one digital image of at least a part of the object.

Abstract: A method generates a marker in a biological sample including a plurality of cells by means of oligonucleotide constructs. The method includes introducing at least a plurality of first oligonucleotide constructs into the biological sample. The plurality of first oligonucleotide constructs comprise a first promoter, a first nucleic acid sequence encoding a first fluorescent protein, and a first photoremovable cage molecule. The method also includes exposing, in particular scanning, at least a first region of the biological sample with a first spatially constrained light beam to form uncaged first oligonucleotide constructs in order to enable synthesis of first fluorescent proteins from the first nucleic acid sequence and generate at least a part of the marker in the first region of the biological sample.

Abstract: A method for generating region-specific amplification templates of a biological sample includes adding first oligonucleotide constructs and second oligonucleotide constructs to the biological sample. Each first or second oligonucleotide construct comprises a first or a second photoremovable cage molecule.

Abstract: A method for obtaining dissectates from a microscopic sample using a laser microdissection system having a laser unit includes: a) at least partially circumcising and releasing from the sample dissectate regions of the sample as the dissectates using laser pulses provided by the laser unit; b) transferring the dissectates, by being released from the sample, along dissectate trajectories into receptacles of a dissectate collection unit; and c) positioning the receptacles of a dissectate collection unit using a positioning unit to collect the dissectates. The positioning of the receptacles of the dissectate collection unit using the positioning unit is automatically performed based on estimates of the dissectate trajectories, the estimates of the dissectate trajectories being obtained in a learning mode, the learning mode including obtaining dissectates by repeatedly performing at least steps a) and b). Parameters of the dissectate trajectories are determined for a plurality of dissectates.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for determining a focused output image in a passive autofocus system is configured to retrieve a set of input images and compute a baseline estimate for at least one input image. The baseline estimate represents image structures in the input image. The image structures have a length scale larger than a predetermined image feature length scale. The image processing apparatus is further configured to compute a set of output images, wherein each output image of the set of output images is computed based on one of a different input image of the set of input images and the at least one baseline estimate for the different input image and the at least one baseline estimate for a respective different input image. The image processing apparatus is further configured to determine one output image of the set of output images as the focused output image.

Abstract: A method for laser microdissection includes: processing a microscopic examination object by a laser beam using tuples of coordinate values which respectively indicate positions of target points on the examination object at least in a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction orthogonal to the first spatial direction, positions of at least three reference points being ascertained beforehand in each case in the first and second spatial directions and also in a third spatial direction orthogonal to the first and second spatial directions; defining a reference plane based on the positions of the reference points; and determining, for the target points, further coordinate values indicating an expected position of the target points on the examination object in the third spatial direction in each case, as determined further coordinate values, the determining of the further coordinate values being performed depending on the defined reference plane.

Abstract: A method for optically examining a biological sample includes: preparing a light-activatable specimen including the biological sample; activating a target region of the light-activatable specimen by irradiating activation light into the light-activatable specimen, the activation light being formed by a light sheet that illuminates a plane in the light-activatable specimen, the plane including at least a part of the biological sample; and imaging the plane illuminated with the light sheet.

Abstract: A method for performing a laser microdissection for cutting a dissectate from a specimen using a laser includes the step of providing the specimen in a light path of an illumination system. The specimen is illuminated by the illumination system. A detector detects light emanating from the specimen. The light detected by the detector is analyzed. It is determined, based on the analysis of the light detected by the detector, whether a receptacle for collecting the dissectate is disposed in a predetermined collection position, at which the dissectate is to be collected in the receptacle after it is cut from the specimen. Laser cutting of the dissectate from the specimen is initiated based on it having been determined that the receptacle is in the predetermined collection position.

Abstract: A laser microscope system includes a microscope and a lens defining an optical axis and a rear focal plane, as well as a laser and an optical laser system coupling a laser beam into the microscope such that it passes through the rear focal plane of the lens at a fixed point. The optical laser system has an offset lens movable along an axis of the laser beam path to move the laser beam focus in the direction of the optical axis. The optical laser system has a compensating lens arranged in the laser beam path and movable along the axis of the laser beam path. A controller and/or a mechanical coupling device carries out a movement of the compensating lens along the axis of the laser beam path when the lens is moved such that the laser beam continues to pass through the fixed point.

Abstract: A method for checking a dissection process in a laser microdissection system includes carrying out the dissection process for cutting out a dissectate from an object in a first region of the object by a laser beam. First image data is acquired of at least the first region of the object after the dissection process. It is examined whether the first image data has sharp structures within a region to be separated by the dissection process in order to determine whether the dissection process was successful.

Abstract: A method for performing a laser microdissection for cutting a dissectate from a specimen using a laser includes the step of providing the specimen in a light path of an illumination system. The specimen is illuminated by the illumination system. A detector detects light emanating from the specimen. The light detected by the detector is analyzed. It is determined, based on the analysis of the light detected by the detector, whether a receptacle for collecting the dissectate is disposed in a predetermined collection position, at which the dissectate is to be collected in the receptacle after it is cut from the specimen. Laser cutting of the dissectate from the specimen is initiated based on it having been determined that the receptacle is in the predetermined collection position.

Abstract: A laser microscope system includes a microscope and a lens defining an optical axis and a rear focal plane, as well as a laser and an optical laser system coupling a laser beam into the microscope such that it passes through the rear focal plane of the lens at a fixed point. The optical laser system has an offset lens movable along an axis of the laser beam path to move the laser beam focus in the direction of the optical axis. The optical laser system has a compensating lens arranged in the laser beam path and movable along the axis of the laser beam path. A controller and/or a mechanical coupling device carries out a movement of the compensating lens along the axis of the laser beam path when the lens is moved such that the laser beam continues to pass through the fixed point.

Abstract: A method for laser microdissection includes detecting at least a portion of an object to be dissected in an image-producing manner in a laser microdissection system and generating a first digital object image. A first processing specification is defined based on the first digital object image. In a first processing step, the object is processed using a laser beam of the laser microdissection system in accordance with the first processing specification. At least a portion of the object is detected in an image-producing manner and a second digital object image is generated. A second processing specification is defined during execution of the first processing step based on the second digital object image. In a second processing step, the object is processed using the laser beam of the laser microdissection system in accordance with the second processing specification.

Abstract: A method for examining and processing a microscopic sample arranged on a slide includes producing reference markings on the slide by a laser beam of a laser microdissection system. A digital image of the sample and the reference markings on the slide is produced by a digital optical imaging device. An image region is defined and first position information data which indicate a position of the image region is generated. The reference markings are identified in the image and second position information data which indicate a position of the reference markings in the image is generated. The reference markings are identified, and third position information data which indicate the position of the reference markings in the laser microdissection system is generated. The first, second and third position information data are correlated and a sample region which corresponds to the image region is processed.