SLAP2

The SLAP2 is an advanced two-photon microscope designed for rapid and flexible in vivo synaptic and neuronal imaging, developed by the Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus. This instrument is optimized for cutting-edge synaptic imaging and population voltage imaging in three dimensions.

SLAP2 utilizes Random Access Projection Microscopy, a new laser scanning technology that produces a vertical line of laser light and scans horizontally across a digital micromirror device (DMD). This configuration allows for fast, flexible measurements by illuminating all ON pixels within a column simultaneously, making the process both swift and adaptable.

The microscope excels in imaging the activity of hundreds of synapses simultaneously in the live brains of animals, capturing synaptic activity at subcellular resolution and at temporal resolutions greater than 10 kHz. This is achieved through its unique Random Access Imaging capability, which foregoes access time costs, allowing efficient recording from multiple targets without the delays associated with traditional acousto-optic deflector (AOD) based systems.

• Sub-millisecond temporal resolution for population voltage imaging both in vivo and in vitro.
• Ability to image hundreds of synapses at frequencies above 200 Hz using neurotransmitter indicators.
• Diffraction limited resolution with excitation N.A. greater than 0.9 and axial resolution less than 2.5 µm FWHM.
• A lateral field of view of 300 µm x 200 µm and availability of independently steered fields of view.

SLAP2's flexibility is further enhanced by its integration scanning capability, allowing for multi-kiloHertz imaging by exciting all pixels within a target simultaneously. This provides high-SNR voltage recordings with minimal power consumption, enhancing both imaging speed and power efficiency.

In terms of user operations, SLAP2 comes equipped with a comprehensive GUI for setting scan and visualization parameters, facilitating integration with other instruments, and supporting closed-loop experimental setups. The system also includes image-based motion correction to accommodate in vivo imaging, compensating for sample movement within microseconds. Additionally, its dual remote-focused imaging paths enable rapid adjustment of imaging depths without physical movement of the sample or objective, further ensuring high-resolution data acquisition across variable depths.