Abstract
Fluorescence microscopy is one of the workhorses of biomedical research and laboratory diagnosis; however, their cost, size, maintenance, and fragility has prevented their adoption in developing countries or low-resource settings. Although significant advances have decreased their size, cost and accessibility, their designs and assembly remain rather complex. Here, inspired on the simple mechanism from a nut and a bolt, we report the construction of a portable fluorescence microscope that operates in bright-field mode and in three fluorescence channels: UV, green, and red. It is assembled in under 10 min from only six 3D printed parts, basic electronic components, a microcomputer (Raspberry Pi) and a camera, all of which can be readily purchased in most locations or online for US $122. The microcomputer was programmed in Python language to capture time-lapse images and videos. Resolution and illumination conditions of the microscope were characterized, and its performance was compared with a high-end fluorescence microscope in bright-field and fluorescence mode. We demonstrate that our miniature microscope can resolve and track single cells in both modes. The instructions on how to assemble the microscope are shown in a video, and the software to control it and the design files of the 3D-printed parts are freely available online. Our portable microscope is ideal in applications where space is at a premium, such as lab-on-a-chips or space missions, and can find applications in basic and clinical research, diagnostics, telemedicine and in educational settings.
Highlights
Fluorescence microscopy is an essential tool in biomedical research used to visualize, analyze and study molecules, cells and tissues
Our goal was to engineer a miniature multicolor fluorescence microscope of simple design that could be quickly assembled with the least possible number of pieces
It is important to realize that because the microscope is made of polylactic acid (PLA), the threading on the nut and bolt can wear out over time and decrease its ability to finely focus on microscopic objects
Summary
Fluorescence microscopy is an essential tool in biomedical research used to visualize, analyze and study molecules, cells and tissues. One of its main applications is to enable the quantification and localization of cellular components [1], which enables quantitative biology. Access to affordable fluorescence microscopes (albeit at the cost of compromising certain functionalities and resolution) can facilitate its deployment in these settings and its usage in point-of-care diagnostics, telemedicine, and environmental monitoring, benefitting global healthcare. Producing affordable and easy-to-assemble laboratory tools and instrumentation could facilitate research, produce quality results [7], improve laboratory productivity [8], and can potentially lead to new discoveries in biology, physiology, chemistry, and biomedicine [9,10]
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