The scientific report, an open access academic journal of Springer Nature, recently published a research paper on proof-of-concept technology. The researchers showed that a device that can convert a smart phone or tablet computer into a fluorescent microscope was developed, and the cost was less than $50. This device, named "Glowscope", can be used to image cells, tissues and organisms at low magnification in schools, scientific promotion occasions and some scientific research laboratories. Using entertainment LED lights and stage light filters, smart phones can act as green fluorescent microscope (pictures from the paper). According to Springer Nature, fluorescence microscopy is used to study samples of fluorescent staining or expression of fluorescent protein (such as green fluorescent protein), but these microscopes are generally worth at least thousands of dollars, so their use is often limited to adequately funded scientific research laboratories. Jacob Hines, the corresponding author of the paper, and his colleagues at the University of Winona in the United States, jointly developed the "fluorescent mirror", which is composed of a plexiglass and plywood frame, a clip camera lens, an LED lamp and a stage light filter. The frame is used to place a smartphone or tablet computer above the sample, and the lens is clamped on the phone or tablet camera for amplification; The sample is illuminated by an LED lamp, and an optical filter is placed on the lens to filter unwanted wavelengths, so that the fluorescence emitted by the sample can be seen. The author of the paper demonstrated the ability of "fluorescence mirror" to image live zebrafish embryos (2-3 mm in length). These samples expressed fluorescent protein in the spinal cord, heart or hindbrain. They found that the clip lens provides about 5x magnification, and can image green and red fluorescent tissue with a resolution of 10 microns - enough to see a single pigment cell. They also tested the heart rate of the embryo with a "fluorescence mirror" and the activity of individual ventricles after the video recording was enhanced with free software. The author of the paper proposed that because the material cost of "fluorescent mirror" is about 30-50 dollars, it can be used by school students to learn anatomy, behavior, physiology, development and genetics in small organisms expressing fluorescent protein, which can be obtained from the laboratory. They believe that laboratories without multiple fluorescence microscopes can also use several "fluorescence mirrors" and smart phones to obtain video data at the same time. Use the "Glowcope" frame to view non-fluorescent samples in real time (the picture is from the paper). It is understood that in the supplementary information of this paper, readers can obtain a complete description of the components and instructions for assembling a "fluorescent mirror". (End) (Liao Xinshe)
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