The platform supports fixed and live biological samples ranging from individual cells and organoids to tissue sections, embryos, model organisms and expanded specimens. Parallel confocal acquisition is considerably faster than conventional point-scanning microscopy and can reduce phototoxicity and photobleaching during long-term experiments.<\/p>\n
Depending on the selected configuration, Dragonfly can integrate:<\/p>\n
Dragonfly is available in 200, 400 and 600 configurations<\/strong>, allowing the system to be matched to current experimental requirements and expanded as research programmes develop.<\/p>\n APEL Laser can assist with the design of a Dragonfly configuration based on your specimens, fluorophores, acquisition speed and required resolution.<\/strong><\/p>\n A conventional point-scanning confocal microscope builds the image by moving a single focused laser spot sequentially across the sample. Dragonfly uses a rotating disk containing arrays of microlenses and pinholes to illuminate and detect many points simultaneously.<\/p>\n This approach enables:<\/p>\n Andor reports confocal imaging speeds of up to approximately 400 frames per second in suitable configurations and up to tenfold higher productivity than point-scanning confocal systems for some applications.<\/p>\n Dragonfly 200 is the entry configuration within the platform and delivers high-performance spinning disk confocal imaging for thin, thick, fixed and live biological samples.<\/p>\n It is suitable for:<\/p>\n Dragonfly 200 can be supplied on inverted or upright microscopes and is a flexible solution for laboratories requiring deep, rapid, sensitive and gentle confocal imaging.<\/p>\n Dragonfly 400 expands the Dragonfly 200 platform with the HLE High-Power Laser Engine and options for single-molecule localisation microscopy and 3D super-resolution.<\/p>\n It is recommended for applications including:<\/p>\n This configuration is well suited to laboratories requiring both fast routine confocal imaging and access to single-molecule super-resolution techniques.<\/p>\n Dragonfly 600 is the flagship configuration. It incorporates the capabilities of Dragonfly 200 and 400 and adds:<\/p>\n Dragonfly 600 can combine confocal, widefield, B-TIRF, transmitted light, SRRF-Stream+, SMLM and deconvolution on one platform. It is intended for projects investigating biological structures from millimetre-scale specimens down to individual-molecule localisation.<\/p>\n The final capability depends on the microscope frame, laser engine, cameras, objectives, filters, imaging modes and software modules selected.<\/p>\n Dragonfly is designed to capture rapid cellular events that may be missed or distorted by slower scanning systems.<\/p>\n Applications can include:<\/p>\n Parallel illumination and detection with sensitive scientific cameras enable short exposures and reduced light dose.<\/p>\n This is important for:<\/p>\n Borealis\u00ae technology is designed to provide homogeneous illumination across the field of view. Uniform excitation supports consistent images and improves quantitative measurements.<\/p>\n It is particularly relevant to:<\/p>\n The spinning disk configuration and optimised pinhole selection support optical sectioning in relatively thick biological specimens.<\/p>\n Dragonfly can be applied to:<\/p>\n Dragonfly combines large-format scientific cameras with optics designed to capture an extended field without unnecessarily sacrificing speed.<\/p>\n This is important for:<\/p>\n Confocal imaging provides optical sectioning, rejection of out-of-focus light and rapid acquisition of 3D volumes.<\/p>\n It is suitable for fixed and live specimens, including relatively thick biological samples.<\/p>\n Widefield is appropriate for thin samples, bright fluorescence signals and applications requiring high excitation intensity.<\/p>\n Cameras and lasers can be shared between imaging modes, reducing the need to switch microscope ports or objective turrets.<\/p>\n B-TIRF \u2013 Borealis Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence \u2013 is available with Dragonfly 600 and supports investigation of events close to the cell membrane.<\/p>\n Applications include:<\/p>\n The B-TIRF design is intended to provide uniform illumination while reducing artefacts commonly associated with conventional TIRF systems.<\/p>\n SRRF-Stream+ is a software-based super-resolution method compatible with live-cell imaging. It can improve spatial resolution without requiring the specialised labelling protocols and very large datasets associated with SMLM.<\/p>\n Andor reports typical lateral resolution in the approximate 100\u2013150 nm range for SRRF, depending on the specimen, configuration and acquisition conditions.<\/p>\n Dragonfly 400 and 600 configurations can support techniques including:<\/p>\n Dragonfly 600 can deliver nanometre localisation performance, with manufacturer-stated lateral resolution extending into the approximate 10\u201320 nm range depending on the technique, specimen and protocol.<\/p>\n GPU-accelerated deconvolution can be applied to confocal, widefield and TIRF images to:<\/p>\n Fluorescence modalities can be combined with:<\/p>\n The transmitted-light channel provides morphological context and facilitates correlation between fluorescence signals and overall specimen structure.<\/p>\n Dragonfly can support research into:<\/p>\n The platform supports neural imaging across multiple scales.<\/p>\n Applications include:<\/p>\n Dragonfly can be used to investigate:<\/p>\n High speed and gentle illumination support imaging of developmental processes in:<\/p>\n Confocal, B-TIRF and SMLM configurations can be applied to:<\/p>\n Speed, large field of view and uniform illumination make Dragonfly suitable for:<\/p>\n Dragonfly can be combined with microfluidic systems for multiplex hybridisation experiments involving repeated probe hybridisation, detection and removal cycles.<\/p>\n Dragonfly supports rapid acquisition of the large volumes generated by physical specimen expansion, combining an extended field of view with optical sectioning and highly sensitive cameras.<\/p>\n A Dragonfly configuration can include:<\/p>\n The precise number of lasers, cameras and imaging channels depends on the selected configuration. Expanded Dragonfly systems can support more than ten imaging channels and up to ten lasers.<\/p>\n Dragonfly can be configured with high-speed, high-sensitivity sCMOS cameras optimised for:<\/p>\n A two-camera system can provide:<\/p>\n Camera selection depends on the required field of view, pixel size, speed, signal level and objective magnification.<\/p>\n VLE is suited to confocal, widefield and live-cell applications requiring flexible and gentle illumination.<\/p>\n HLE provides the power required for applications such as:<\/p>\n On Dragonfly 600, HLE can be combined with iZoom to increase laser power density over a reduced illumination field.<\/p>\n Fusion coordinates the system hardware and provides a common interface for image acquisition.<\/p>\n Capabilities can include:<\/p>\n Hardware integration within one software environment simplifies transitions between confocal, widefield, TIRF and super-resolution imaging.<\/p>\n Every Dragonfly high-speed confocal includes Fusion acquisition software and access to Imaris analysis solutions according to the selected package.<\/p>\n Imaris can be used for:<\/p>\n The following should be defined when selecting a suitable configuration:<\/p>\n Objective selection should consider:<\/p>\n The configuration should balance:<\/p>\n Dragonfly is suitable for laboratories seeking to combine rapid confocal imaging with a scalable multimodal platform.<\/p>\n Its main benefits include:<\/p>\n APEL Laser can support the specification, installation and operation of an Andor Dragonfly system.<\/p>\n Services can include:<\/p>\n For an initial recommendation, provide:<\/p>\n \n Dragonfly is a spinning disk confocal microscopy platform for rapid, sensitive and multimodal imaging of fixed and live biological specimens.<\/p>\n Dragonfly simultaneously illuminates and detects multiple points using a rotating disk. A point-scanning confocal images the sample sequentially. Dragonfly can therefore acquire images and 3D volumes much faster and with a reduced light dose.<\/p>\n Yes. High speed, sensitive cameras and reduced phototoxicity make it well suited to live-cell and time-lapse experiments.<\/p>\n Yes. The system is optimised for optical sectioning and can image organoids, spheroids, embryos and tissue sections.<\/p>\n Dragonfly 200 focuses on fast confocal and live-cell imaging. Dragonfly 400 adds a high-power laser engine and SMLM or 3D SMLM options. Dragonfly 600 adds B-TIRF, illumination zoom and the broadest multimodal capabilities.<\/p>\n Yes. Depending on configuration, Dragonfly can use SRRF-Stream+, SMLM, dSTORM, DNA-PAINT and 3D SMLM.<\/p>\n Dragonfly 600 can be configured with B-TIRF.<\/p>\n Yes. Dual-camera configurations support simultaneous acquisition or rapid spectral separation.<\/p>\n Dragonfly includes Fusion for acquisition and can be supplied with Imaris for visualisation, segmentation and quantitative analysis.<\/p>\n Andor Dragonfly is an advanced spinning disk confocal microscopy platform designed for researchers who require high acquisition speed, sensitivity, effective optical sectioning and the flexibility to combine multiple imaging techniques within one system.<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\nWhy spinning disk confocal microscopy?<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nThe Andor Dragonfly family<\/h2>\n
Dragonfly 200 \u2013 fast and flexible confocal imaging<\/h3>\n
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Dragonfly 400 \u2013 higher productivity and 3D super-resolution<\/h3>\n
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Dragonfly 600 \u2013 the complete multimodal platform<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/div>\nDragonfly configuration comparison<\/h2>\n
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\n Feature<\/th>\n Dragonfly 200<\/th>\n Dragonfly 400<\/th>\n Dragonfly 600<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n Spinning disk confocal<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Laser widefield<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Transmitted light<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n GPU deconvolution<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n SRRF-Stream+<\/td>\n Optional<\/td>\n Optional<\/td>\n Optional<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n High-Power Laser Engine<\/td>\n No \/ configuration-dependent<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n SMLM<\/td>\n No \/ configuration-dependent<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n 3D SMLM module<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n Optional<\/td>\n Optional<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n B-TIRF<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Illumination zoom<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n No<\/td>\n Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Primary use<\/td>\n Fast confocal and live-cell<\/td>\n Confocal and super-resolution<\/td>\n Advanced multimodal imaging<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n<\/div>\nDragonfly platform benefits<\/h2>\n
High speed for dynamic biology<\/h3>\n
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Reduced phototoxicity and photobleaching<\/h3>\n
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Borealis\u00ae uniform illumination<\/h3>\n
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Deeper imaging<\/h3>\n
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Large field of view<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/div>\nImaging modalities<\/h2>\n
Spinning disk confocal<\/h3>\n
Laser-based widefield<\/h3>\n
B-TIRF<\/h3>\n
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SRRF-Stream+<\/h3>\n
Single-molecule localisation microscopy<\/h3>\n
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ClearView-GPU\u2122 deconvolution<\/h3>\n
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Transmitted-light microscopy<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/div>\nApplications<\/h2>\n
Cell biology<\/h3>\n
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Neuroscience<\/h3>\n
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Cancer research<\/h3>\n
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Developmental biology<\/h3>\n
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Virology and immunology<\/h3>\n
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Spatial omics and multiplex imaging<\/h3>\n
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Expansion microscopy<\/h3>\n
\n<\/div>\nSystem components<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nAndor scientific cameras<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nVLE and HLE laser engines<\/h2>\n
VLE \u2013 Versatile Laser Engine<\/h3>\n
HLE \u2013 High-Power Laser Engine<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/div>\nFusion acquisition software<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nVisualisation and analysis with Imaris<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nConfiguring a Dragonfly system<\/h2>\n
1. Specimen type<\/h3>\n
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2. Required modalities<\/h3>\n
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3. Experimental requirements<\/h3>\n
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4. Objectives<\/h3>\n
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5. Cameras<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/div>\nWhy choose Andor Dragonfly?<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nConfiguration and support from APEL Laser<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/div>\nFrequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
What is Andor Dragonfly?<\/h3>\n
How does it differ from a laser-scanning confocal microscope?<\/h3>\n
Is it suitable for live-cell imaging?<\/h3>\n
Can it image thick specimens?<\/h3>\n
What is the difference between Dragonfly 200, 400 and 600?<\/h3>\n
Does Dragonfly provide super-resolution?<\/h3>\n
Can it perform TIRF imaging?<\/h3>\n
Can it use two cameras?<\/h3>\n
Is image-analysis software included?<\/h3>\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fast, sensitive and multimodal imaging for live cells, tissues and super-resolution microscopy<\/h2>\n