How to get the most out of Metamorph imaging software: tips and tricks for optimal performance

The MetaMorph Microscopy Automation and Image Analysis Software automates acquisition, device control, and image analysis. It easily integrates dissimilar fluorescent microscope hardware and peripherals into a single custom workstation. The software offers many user-friendly application modules for biology-specific analysis. Two complementary packages, MetaFluor software for fluorescence ratio imaging, and MetaVue software for basic image acquisition and processing, are included in the portfolio.

Metamorph imaging software

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HALO (Indica Labs, Albuquerque, NM) software is a high performance, user friendly image analysis software. It can be used with confocal, wide field fluorescence, and bright field images. The HALO workstation is equipped with the following image analysis modules:

NIS Elements (Nikon Instruments Inc, Melville, NY) is an imaging and analysis software. It is used for both the Nikon A1R confocal microscope and the Nikon n-Storm super resolution microscope. It is also available on a dedicated workstation computer with HALO. It includes quantitation tools in the General Analysis suite, 2D and 3D tracking and measurement, and real time analysis of live cell dynamics. It can also be used to produce 2D projection images for 3D data and deconvolve both 2D and 3D images.

Volocity (PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA) is a high-performance 3D imaging software package providing visualization, exploration andanalysis capabilities of multi-channel 3D volumes over time. The software can be used for 2D, 3D, and 4D imaging, and will accept image sequences from both confocal and wide-field microscopes. The Volocity Visualization module provides an extensive array of visualization and publication features. The Volocity 3D view enables the user to interactively explore a 3D rendered object. The viewing point can be placed either inside or outside of the 3D object, and changes of structures over time monitored. Animated movie volumes can be created with the Movie Sequencer module. The Volocity Classification module will identify, measure and track biological structures in 2D, 3D, and 4D. Co-localization analysis can also be performed for two fluorophores in 3D.

StereoInvestigator (MBF Bioscience, Williston, VT) image analysis software is designed to count cells, quantify lengths, area, and volumes in biological samples while employing stereological principles. With 13 stereological probes, it will efficiently allow you to obtain precise and unbiased estimates of cell number (Optical Fractionator probe), volume fractions (Cavalieri Estimator probe), or spatial distribution (Nearest Neighbor probe) of tissue components. Results can be exported directly into Microsoft Excel.

This technical note is provided to aid the user in the set-up of their software for use with TuCam. The example softwares covered are Andor Solis, Andor iQ and MetaMorph from Molecular Devices Corporation.

Two iXon Ultras and two Neo sCMOS cameras were tested in Solis, iQ and MetaMorph. Frame rates were assessed from both cameras to ensure that each were achieving (a) the same speed as each other and (b) the same speeds as would be achieved when operating only a single camera. Furthermore, a series of acquired images were examined by both cameras to ensure that both cameras were synchronous in their acquisition. All tests proved conclusive for satisfying the above conditions. Tables 1 to 3 show frame rates achieved by two iXon Ultra cameras acquiring simultaneously in two instances of Solis software, two instances of iQ software and one instance of MetaMorph software. These frame rates are consistent with that expected for a single camera operating at the maximum 17 MHz readout speed (see iXon Ultra specification sheet.)

Integrating your microscope illuminator into imaging software is the most efficient way to configure complex imaging experiments. We are now pleased to announce that the pE-800 Illumination System is fully supported in Molecular Devices MetaMorph imaging software. More information is available in the Summary sheet.

The pE-800 is also fully integrated into Nikon NIS Elements, µManager, Hamamatsu HCImage and Incscoper. For users of other imaging software such as Olympus cellSens, the pE-6501-8 USB controlled TTL trigger box enables seamless integration.

We have compared current image analysis software packages in order to find the most useful one for assessing microbial adhesion and inhibition of adhesion to tissue sections. We have used organisms of different sizes, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and the yeast Candida albicans. Adhesion of FITC-labelled H. pylori and C. albicans was assessed by confocal microscopy. Four different Image analysis software packages, NIH-Image, IP Lab, Image Pro+, and Metamorph, were compared for their ability to quantify adhesion of the two organisms and several quantification methods were devised for each package. For both organisms, the dynamic range that could be detected by the software packages was 1x10(6)-1x10(9) cells/ml. Of the four software packages tested, our results showed that Metamorph software, using our 'Region of Interest' method, with the software's 'Standard Area Method' of counting, was the most suitable for quantifying adhesion of both organisms because of its unique ability to separate clumps of microbial cells. Moreover, fewer steps were required. By pre-incubating H. pylori with the glycoconjugate Lewis b-HSA, an inhibition of binding of 48.8% was achieved using 250 mug/ml Lewis b-HSA. The method we have devised using Metamorph software, provides a simple, quick and accurate way of quantifying adhesion and inhibition of adhesion of microbial cells to the epithelial surface of tissue sections. The method can be applied to organisms ranging in size from small bacteria to larger yeast cells.

This article provides a light comparison of available microscopysoftware with a 3 line summary and up to 5 specific unique Pro and Conbullet points. Adding more software to this list is encouraged(especially FLOSS software). Contributions are best made by you, thescientist, experienced with multiple products.

This comparison is not a substitute for application specific abilitiesof software, which requires comparing commercial quotations of a customset of features. Effort has been made to keep the information accurateand opinions balanced.

Micro-manager was founded to serve 2 needs: provide community drivenexperiment functionality, and an equal platform for hardwaremanufacturers to write drivers (hardware manufacturers supplyproprietary software, and no manufacturer can support everyone elseshardware). Custom work is made easy by direct access to hardware and GUIinternals from scripts, and extension is possible by multipleprogramming languages.

The images were stitched together with MetaMorph imaging software, which was also used to automate the acquisition of the 1600 individual images. The resulting fluorescence image was color-inverted for the view presented here.

of drivers throughout its history, it supports more highquality drivers for devices and components than any other imaging software application on the market. acquired and run multiple measurements at the same time. Multithreading also allows for asynchronous control of hardware peripherals, improving the speed of acquisitions. Exceptional Display Performance and Multi-Tasking Capability Comprehensive Uncomplicated Image Acquisition Optimum image and data display performance is ensured through configurable cache and display memory settings which let you determine how memory is allocated to...

The software is designed as an integrated imaging software which includes comprehensive microscope control, extensive control of peripheral devices, image acquisition, analysis and documentation. Its multitasking ability supports realtime image handling and processing up to 6D multidimensional acquisition.

The MetaMorph Microscopy Automation and Image Analysis Software automates acquisition, device control, and image analysis. It easily integrates dissimilar fluorescent microscope hardware and peripherals into a single custom workstation. The software offers many user-friendly application modules for biology-specific analysis.

The MetaFluor software is designed for quantitative fluorescence imaging. It allows to collect images using up to five excitation wavelengths, perform ratios, make intensity measurements, and save data so that it can be analyzed later.

The MetaFluor software is a tool-based application that is designed to be used as a workbench for a specific type of task: quantitative fluorescence imaging and ratio experiments. It is used in a linear fashion with a number of tools that are used to simplify and augment the task.

Over the past 30 years, tremendous advances in imaging technology have provided researchers with the means to acquire and analyzedetailed images of biological specimens. Imaging is now an essential tool for the researcher who investigates the cellular andbiochemical processes underlying cellular function. From the simple analysis of fluorescent intensity to the more sophisticatedmethods to classify and quantify cells in different stages of the cell cycle, imaging is fundamental to researchmicroscopy.The MetaMorph Software suite of products from Molecular Devices has been an integral part of thebioresearch imaging community for more than 25 years and supports a vast array of microscopes, cameras, and precision stages. Theextensive suite of software provides acquisition, processing, and analysis features that allow researchers to build custom imagingsystems for solving novel experimental problems in cellular imaging.

MetaFluor Fluorescence Ratio Imaging Software is the industry standard for monitoring fluorescence ratio imagingapplications, bringing microscopists closer to rapid cellular responses inherent to live cells.MetaFluor FluorescenceRatio Imaging Software is designed for dual-wavelength intracellular ion measurements. The system provides simultaneous display ofthe raw data; ratio image; graphs of intensities, ratios, and ion concentrations (e.g., calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride); anda non-ratiometric image such as a brightfield or phase-contrast image. Two different ratiometric indicators can be imaged andmeasured simultaneously to provide greater insight to ion exchange and intracellular function regardless of dye loadingconcentrations, conditions, or emission intensities.Toolbars, menus, wizards, and dialog boxes help move you throughthe image processing steps quickly. Features such as multiple image windows, flexible device control, synchronization and timing,and journals allow for automated image acquisition and analysis unlike any other system.With MetaFluor FluorescenceSoftware, you customize the set-up once, then let the experiment run by itself. You are able to collect a large amount of dataonline and process it with either MetaFluor Software or independently using an analysis-only software version.MetaFluorFluorescence Ratio Imaging Software features: 2ff7e9595c