Abstract

We introduce a random access parallel (RAP) imaging modality that uses a novel design inspired by a Newtonian telescope to image multiple spatially separated samples without moving parts or robotics. This scheme enables near simultaneous image capture of multiple petri dishes and random-access imaging with sub-millisecond switching times at the full resolution of the camera. This enables the RAP system to capture long duration records from different samples in parallel, which is not possible using conventional automated microscopes. The system is demonstrated by continuously imaging multiple cardiac monolayer and Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) preparations.

Data availability

All data generated during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files

Article and author information

Author details

  1. Mishal Ashraf

    Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  2. Sharika Mohanan

    Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  3. Byu Ri Sim

    Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  4. Anthony Tam

    Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  5. Kiamehr Rahemipour

    Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  6. Denis Brousseau

    Department of Physics, Physical Engineering and Optics, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  7. Simon Thibault

    Department of Physics, Physical Engineering and Optics, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  8. Alexander D Corbett

    Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
    For correspondence
    A.Corbett@exeter.ac.uk
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0003-1645-5475
  9. Gil Bub

    Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
    For correspondence
    gilbub@gmail.com
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-5304-0036

Funding

National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2018-05346)

  • Gil Bub

National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2016-05962)

  • Simon Thibault

Funders support enabled acquisition of equipment used in this study and also funded summer student stipends for undergraduate authors.

Reviewing Editor

  1. Jonathan Ewbank, Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, CNRS, France

Version history

  1. Received: February 27, 2020
  2. Accepted: January 11, 2021
  3. Accepted Manuscript published: January 12, 2021 (version 1)
  4. Accepted Manuscript updated: January 15, 2021 (version 2)
  5. Version of Record published: January 28, 2021 (version 3)

Copyright

© 2021, Ashraf et al.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

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  1. Mishal Ashraf
  2. Sharika Mohanan
  3. Byu Ri Sim
  4. Anthony Tam
  5. Kiamehr Rahemipour
  6. Denis Brousseau
  7. Simon Thibault
  8. Alexander D Corbett
  9. Gil Bub
(2021)
Random access parallel microscopy
eLife 10:e56426.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56426

Share this article

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56426

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