The Nikon A1R laser scanning confocal microscope provides several important features:

1. Resonant scanner
The Nikon A1R is equipped with a ultra-high speed resonant scanner that will allow users to scan their sample at 7.8kHz. This scan speed translates into high-speed imaging at 420 fps (512 x 32 pixels). Since the field of view is perfectly aligned with that generated by the conventional scanner, users can easily follow very fast biological process even when combined with photobleaching experiments, for example. This fast scanning feature is also tailored for imaging rapid signaling events such as calcium waves.

2. Image stitching
Nikon A1 is capable of combining image-stiching in three-dimension. This will allow users to create a montaged Z-stacks of multiple fields of view at high resolution. This is particularly powerful if high resolution and/or 3-D image of a large section of a specimen is needed. In addition,

3. PerfectFocus
The A1R system is fitted on Nikon Ti PerfectFocus microscope stand. This robust focal drift compensation mechanism thus allows users to maintain the desired focal plane for long-tem live cell imaging, even combining drastic temperature changes into their experiments (such as heat-shock) if necessary without the worry of thermal instability and focal plane shift.

4. Excitation lasers
The Nikon A1R is equipped with multiple excitation wavelengths (405nm, 458nm, 488nm, 514nm, 561nm, and 633nm). Combined with its mulsipectral and resonant scanning capabilities, this system will allow user to perform fast multiplexed experiments, as well as specialized live cell imaging experiments such as FRET, photoactivation and photoconversion with great ease.

5. Nikon Elements software
The Nikon Elements software not only provides intuitive user interface to seanlessly perform many types of experiments, it also has an extremely easy-to-use 3D rendering and morphometric segmenting capabilities. As shown below, users can generate 3D rendered videos and segment irregularly shaped structures at-will with the Elements software. The Nikon Imaging Center now has three full version, stand alone Elements software in various work stations, enhancing the general availability of this software to users who wants to perform post-acquisition analysis. Free version of the Elements Viewer can also be downloaded from the Nikon website.