A microscope stage comprising a planar base (1) with two or more parallel grooves (2) formed extending in a first direction (5). A carriage (3) is mounted on the base with at least two projections (4) that slide in the grooves. The carriage receives a microscope slide or other sample holder (6). The carriage includes at least one guide and a biasing means (7) to urge the sample holder against the guide while permitting it to move relative to the guide in a second direction (8) orthogonal to the first direction.

A microscope stage comprising a planar base (1) with two or more parallel grooves (2) formed extending in a first direction (5). A carriage (3) is mounted on the base with at least two projections (4) that slide in the grooves. The carriage receives a microscope slide or other sample holder (6). The carriage includes at least one guide and a biasing means (7) to urge the sample holder against the guide while permitting it to move relative to the guide in a second direction (8) orthogonal to the first direction.

The present invention relates to a fixation and body temperature maintaining apparatus for fixing a small animal in order to generate a high-resolution micro image of a predetermined tissue of the small animal within a biomicroscope with an object lens, which includes: a plate heater with a heat wire installed therein, on which the small animal is enabled to be directly placed; a glass heater holder fixed to a hole of the plate heater; and a glass heater fixed to the glass heater holder, and located above the tissue of the small animal and maintaining flatness of the tissue, and increasing a temperature of the tissue itself, in which a cover glass serving to adjust a refractive index of the object lens and a heat wire heater are integrally formed. In an embodiment of the present invention, a body temperature of a live small animal which is an object to be observed with a biomicroscope is maintained to be constant.

Devices and methods to measure cells and/or tissue's contractile force are disclosed. Included is a mount with rigid, and non-rigid posts sized to flex. Determined is force exerted by contractile cells and tissues in a multiwell plate. The device is designed to fit inside individual wells with posts directed downwards. Posts are attached to a 3D printed circular mount with tabs for depth within the well. The mount has a window for medium changes while the device is positioned inside the well. The cells are seeded within a hydrogel. As the hydrogel condenses, cells/tissue wrap around the post's outside pulling non-rigid post toward rigid post. Inverted light microscope is used to determine deflection of non-rigid post inside the multiwell plate. Movement of the non-rigid post is measured using an acrylic ruler on an underside of the multiwell plate. Contractile forces of cells/tissue are determined using cantilever mechanics.

Devices and methods to measure cells and/or tissue's contractile force are disclosed. Included is a mount with rigid, and non-rigid posts sized to flex. Determined is force exerted by contractile cells and tissues in a multiwell plate. The device is designed to fit inside individual wells with posts directed downwards. Posts are attached to a 3D printed circular mount with tabs for depth within the well. The mount has a window for medium changes while the device is positioned inside the well. The cells are seeded within a hydrogel. As the hydrogel condenses, cells/tissue wrap around the post's outside pulling non-rigid post toward rigid post. Inverted light microscope is used to determine deflection of non-rigid post inside the multiwell plate. Movement of the non-rigid post is measured using an acrylic ruler on an underside of the multiwell plate. Contractile forces of cells/tissue are determined using cantilever mechanics.

A microscope for imaging a sample is disclosed that may include at least one illumination objective arranged to eject an illumination light beam along an illumination path to illuminate the sample; an imaging objective arranged to receive detection light including at least a portion of the light ejected from the sample, wherein the detection light is propagated along a detection axis and the imaging objective has an imaging focal plane; an adjustment arrangement to linearly displace the illumination light beam and the imaging focal plane relative to each other along the detection axis; a sample holder arranged to receive a sample and having a portion which is transparent to the illumination light beam and to the detection light; and a holder support arranged to receive the sample holder and displace the sample holder relative to the imaging objective such that the imaging focal plane is positioned inside the sample holder.

A microscope for imaging a sample is disclosed that may include at least one illumination objective arranged to eject an illumination light beam along an illumination path to illuminate the sample; an imaging objective arranged to receive detection light including at least a portion of the light ejected from the sample, wherein the detection light is propagated along a detection axis and the imaging objective has an imaging focal plane; an adjustment arrangement to linearly displace the illumination light beam and the imaging focal plane relative to each other along the detection axis; a sample holder arranged to receive a sample and having a portion which is transparent to the illumination light beam and to the detection light; and a holder support arranged to receive the sample holder and displace the sample holder relative to the imaging objective such that the imaging focal plane is positioned inside the sample holder.

A microscope auxiliary apparatus attachable to a microscope includes an object movable portion for moving an object in an optical axis direction of the microscope, first and second operating unit movable portions for respectively moving, in the optical axis direction, first and second operating units for operating the object, a movement instructing unit for instructing the object movable portion or the first or second operating unit movable portions to move, and a switching unit for switching a mode to first and second modes. The first mode moves one of the movable portions in the optical axis direction according to an instruction from the movement instructing unit. The second mode links movements of at least two of the movable portions and moves the at least two in the optical axis direction according to the instruction from the movement instructing unit.

A microscope auxiliary apparatus attachable to a microscope includes an object movable portion for moving an object in an optical axis direction of the microscope, first and second operating unit movable portions for respectively moving, in the optical axis direction, first and second operating units for operating the object, a movement instructing unit for instructing the object movable portion or the first or second operating unit movable portions to move, and a switching unit for switching a mode to first and second modes. The first mode moves one of the movable portions in the optical axis direction according to an instruction from the movement instructing unit. The second mode links movements of at least two of the movable portions and moves the at least two in the optical axis direction according to the instruction from the movement instructing unit.

A microscope system is provided with a microscope that acquires images at least at a first magnification and a second magnification higher than the first magnification, and a processor. The processor is configured to specify a type of a container in which a specimen is placed, and when starting observation of the specimen placed in the container at the second magnification, the processor is configured to specify an observation start position by performing object detection according to the type of container on a first image that includes the container acquired by the microscope at the first magnification, and control a relative position of the microscope with respect to the specimen such that the observation start position is contained in a field of view at the second magnification of the microscope.