Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2016
Organization: Wesleyan University
Every fly lab needs one of these.
Application Area: Selecting GFP positive or negative Drosophila pupae, larvae and embryos.
"The Nightsea fluorescence adaptors are indispensable in my lab! After purchasing one (the best $1000 spent equipping my new lab!), I purchased a second set. We use these all the time to select for or against GFP-expressing Drosophila larvae, pupae and embryos. We could have spent a small fortune and purchased the conventional GFP-stereo microscope...but instead these Nightsea adaptors do the job very well (and for a fraction of the price). I highly recommend these."
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2014
Organization: University of Northern Colorado
Application Area:Live Sorting Of Drosophila
"This system is excellent! I would certainly be interested in owning more than one color (currently have the light that excites GFP, and RFP would be nice too!) The lamp has so far been quite hardy, withstanding numerous toppling over events caused by tangled CO2 lines. My only complaint is that the power cord that plugs into the back seems to sometimes get stuck, but that problem really isn't of much concern! This light is especially useful for sorting tricky phenotypes. Some phenotypic selection markers involve looking at hairs on the fly or curled wings, and those markers can be altered simply by the fly rolling around in its food too much. A green glowing fly is easier to detect than many methods I have attempted to use for quick and easy sorting. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2014
Organization: National Autonomous University of Mexico
Application Area:Biology
"I am very happy with the application as it solved the problem, at a low cost, of having a stereo microscope with a fluorescence adapter that could be used for different wavelengths all without having to buy a new microscope (it adapts to stereo microscopes in the market). I have used it routinely to scan for embryos and larvae that express fluorescence markers (different fluorescences) in our work with Drosophila. I would recommend it for the above reasons without doubts. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2011
Organization: University of Florida
Application Area:Teaching and outreach
"The product is very simple to use and fits most dissecting microscopes. The materials are quality made and simple to assemble. There are ways to make something similar yourself, but this product takes out all the guesswork and works out of the box. It's a great solution for teaching and research applications in with bright GFP or RFP reporters. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2015
Organization: Winona State University
Application Area:Sorting transgenic zebrafish embryos
"The Nightsea illuminators are a great way to equip dissecting microscopes with fluorescence at a low cost. For bright specimens they completely replace the need for a traditional fluorescence built into the stereomicroscope. We had some issue detecting red fluorescent proteins with some of our weaker transgenic zebrafish lines, but by shining two LED lights onto the same embryo, most of our weakest GFP and mCherry transgenic lines can now be detected. One light head was fine for reasonably bright specimens, and with two lights, the fluorescence is nearly the same as traditional stereomicroscopes priced $15-20K. We also use them for teaching lab purposes and they are nice little workhorses. Most importantly, Nightsea is great to work with and will immediately respond to questions and provide great service if needed. I highly recommend the Nightsea units. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2015
Organization: Rutgers University
Application Area:Fly Transgenic Screening
"We originally selected this adapter, since it was much brighter and easier to see ey:GFP transgenic flies, and for a significant cost reduction. We have now added the RFP adapter for additional screens and will always find ways to use this system... We will likely find a way to add CYF in the near future. There is no comparison!"
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2014
Organization: University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Application Area:Developmental Genetics/Neurobiology
"As a PI at a predominantly undergraduate institution with a smaller research budget, I was eager to find a reasonably priced solution for sorting fluorescently labeled fly larvae and C. elegans. Since I had little need for other applications, I could not justify spending 10K+ on a fluorescent dissecting scope. The Nightsea works perfectly for the purpose of animal sorting, is very easy to use, student friendly, very portable and a 10th of the cost of a fluorescent dissecting scope. I highly recommend this product."
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2006
Organization: Boston University
Application Area:GFP Reporters In Plant Roots
"We ordered two NIGHTSEA Stereo Microscope Fluorescence Adapters to use in my graduate level genetics laboratory course at Boston University. We used these setups to examine an Arabidopsis thaliana population segregating a GFP reporter for a root expressed gene. The fluorescence adapters allowed easy viewing of the GFP expression at a magnification needed to view the entire root directly through the petri dishes in which the plants were grown. The fluorescent signal was on par with (if not brighter than) the reporter fluorescence observed at higher magnifications using confocal imaging. The students found the setup very easy to use. Because of the success with the usage of the NIGHTSEA Stereo Microscope Fluorescence Adapters this year, next year I am going to develop additional lab modules using GFP reporters in Arabidopsis. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2014
Organization: George Washington University
Application Area:Gene Expression In Embryos
"We use the NightSea SFA system to screen embryos into which we have injected with fluorescent DNA or RNA constructs. By being able to use the system on any stereomicroscope in the lab, students can screen large numbers of embryos for the fluorescent markers and remove non-fluorescent specimens from their sample prior to biochemical analyses or in situ hybridization. The system is easy to use and can detect fluorescence even in the yolk-filled Xenopus embryos that we use. It is inexpensive, so even small labs can have fluorescence on their stereomicroscopes. The fluorescent markers do need to be bright to see them in early Xenopus embryos, but this usually is not a problem for us. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2014
Organization: Sophia College
Application Area:Developmental Neurobiology
"I was able to purchase this equipment during my short stay in the US due to its very reasonable price. I am satisfied with its performance since my return. Since it is simple to use my students have complete freedom to handle it, something that they are unable to do with the more high end microscopes. "
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2008
Organization: Harvard University
Application Area:Microscopy
"We purchased a number of the GFP adapters for use in our undergraduate teaching labs. They have been great - much brighter and easier to use than our old "homemade" system. Our students are now able to observe GFP in C. elegans and zebrafish and take pictures using digital cameras that we mount on the eyepiece. It's been great having them available - the relatively low cost enabled us to purchase enough for our students, and they allow us to have students make observations of specimens that they would otherwise not be able to study."
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2013
Organization: Brown University
Application Area:Screening Zebrafish Larvae
"Before using NIGHTSEA to screen my samples, I would have to select samples to mount, go to the confocal and then hope that some of my samples were actually fluorescent. Now that I use NIGHTSEA to pre-screen my samples I save both time and money by making sure the only samples I image are fluorescent. In addition the NIGHTSEA system was extremely easy to set up, it can be moved to different microscopes and the support for the product has been fantastic. I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a quick and cheap way to add the ability to image fluorescence to their lab."
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2013
Organization: Harvard University
Application Area:Screening Fluorescent Zebrafish Embryos
"The fluorescence adapter is a straightforward, inexpensive setup that has been useful in our lab for screening our fluorescent zebrafish embryos. We have two light/filter sets that have worked well with embryos expressing GFP and RFP. It’s simple to switch between sets or remove them if you just want brightfield, and they’re easily portable. NightSea also provides excellent, attentive customer service and is very receptive to feedback. If you need a cheaper alternative to a standard fluorescence dissecting scope, I recommend checking this out. The fluorescence adapter would be an especially useful tool for anyone teaching a lab course that involves fluorescence microscopy."
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2013
Organization: Brown University
Application Area:Higher Education
"I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for reasonably priced, portable, fluorescence for your stereoscope. Our students were very excited to use them and they did not require any special training as the units adapt easily to the stereoscopes that we presently own and are very user friendly. Due to their affordability, we were able to purchase 6 units for our developmental biology teaching lab! A great investment!"
Status:
ReviewerMember since: 2013
Organization: University of Montana
Application Area:GFP Expression In Drosophila
"Several months ago, we purchased a NIGHTSEA Stereo Microscope Fluorescence Adapters for use in a hands-on Brain Lab within the University of Montana's spectrUM Discovery Area. We are using the NIGHTSEA system to visualize GFP expression in Drosophila adults and larvae. As this exhibit is designed for school-age kids, a great deal of "wear and tear" on the fluorescence adaptors occurs daily as well as many hours of usage. The system has held up exceptionally well in terms of durability and functionality. The strength of the signal is excellent allowing any individual to identify tissues expressing GFP at multiple magnifications. We will continue to use NIGHTSEA products for their value, ease in set-up, and strong activation and visualization of fluorescence. "
The NIGHTSEA SFA system is a complete solution to add fluorescence to existing stereo microscopes for under $1,000 for one excitation/emission combination and under $500 for each additional set – that’s less than $2,500 to set up with all four sets currently available. The SFA requires NO modification to your microscope and does not have to be removed to use your microscope with white light. The resulting fluorescence capability is excellent for a wide variety of applications including screening/sorting fluorescent transgenic organisms, pre-screening samples before confocal, fluorescence-assisted dissection, and many more.
It takes less than a minute to add fluorescence to your microscope. Excitation is provided by high intensity LED light heads fitted with custom interference filters. The light heads insert into a flexible gooseneck lamp base with a quarter twist to lock. An adapter that fits virtually all stereo microscopes attaches beneath the objectives with thumbscrews, and the barrier filters just click into place magnetically. The adapter also holds a filter viewing shield to complete the system. The modular design lets you easily switch among excitation/emission sets and add more combinations at any time. A modular white light head is also available for added versatility.
The SFA’s price, simplicity, and ruggedness make it ideal for adding fluorescence to multiple low-cost microscopes to support student laboratory courses, and numerous universities have already done this. The SFA is also being used to support education for younger students both in fixed locations and mobile outreach. The real proof of a system like this is in what it enables you to see, and there are numerous example images in the galleries on the NIGHTSEA web site.
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