Selecting an Andor Microscope by Application and Imaging Type

Here are two tables to help you select the confocal microscope that best suits your imaging needs

1- Microscope selection by application

2- Microscope selection by imaging technique

Please Note:

• The tables suggest which applications are most appropriate to different products. However, everyone's experimental requirements do vary, so please talk to us about your specific requirements.
• This applications table is not exhaustive, it aims to give an overview. Please remember that other applications not listed might also be suitable in Andor Confocal microscopes.

Microscope Selection by Application

Application Area	Type of Experiment	BC43	Dragonfly 200	Dragonfly 600
Cell Biology	Intracellular Structure
	Cell Cycle - Cell Division
	Mitochondria Imaging (fixed)
	Cytokinesis
	Mitochondria Imaging (live)
	Early Embryo Development
	Microtubule Dynamics
	Intracellular Trafficking
	Expansion Microscopy
	Cilia Imaging (> 50 fps)
	Single Molecule Live Imaging (not SMLM) e.g. RNA
	Chromatin Remodelling
	Vesicle Trafficking
	Live Membrane Fusion Events
	Cell - Substrate Interaction
	Actin Polymerisation Leading Edge of Cell Motility (TIRF)
	Ultra-Structure of Centrioles (SMLM)
	Nuclear Pore Complexes (SMLM)
	Ultra-Structure of Membranes (SMLM)
Developmental Biology
	Limb Formation
	Tissue Sample Preparations
	Paraffin Sections
	Whole Organisms up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Organoids up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Whole Organisms 500+ µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Organoids 500+ µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Intracellular Trafficking
	Gene Expression in Development (with spatial biology)
	Fertilization
	Blood Flow Studies
	Pathogen-Host Interactions (fungus)
	Pathogen-Host Interactions (bacteria)
	Pathogen-Host Interactions (virus)
Cancer Biology	Large Tissue Slices
	Live Imaging Cell Movement & Division
	Organoids up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	In-Vitro Cell Invasion
	Organoids 500 µm + Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Gene Expression in Cancer Cells (with spatial biology)
	Cell / Substrate Interaction and Adhesion
	Address Effectiveness of Small Molecule Inhibitors in Cancer Treatment (with TIRF)
	Actin Polymerisation Leading Edge of Cancer Cell Motility (TIRF)
	Ultra-Structure of Centrioles (SMLM)
	Ultra-Structure of Cancer Cell Receptors (SMLM)
Immunology & Diseases	Fixed Tissues
	Large Samples up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	High Speed Live Imaging up to 40 fps
	Large samples 500+ µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Gene Expression in Disease Cells (with spatial biology)
	High Speed Live Imaging > 40 fps
	Blood Flow
	Cell Surface Infection Dynamics - TIRF
	Mechanisms of Viral Infection
Microbiology	Intracellular Structure (Super-Resolution SRRF-Stream)
	Intracellular Structure (SMLM) (Super - Resolution dSTORM)
	Intracellular Structure (SMLM) (Super - Resolution DNA-PAINT)
	Cell Surface Infection Dynamics - TIRF
	Mechanisms of Viral Infection
	Ultra-Structure of Bacteria Cell Wall (SMLM)
	Ultra-Structure of Virus Capsid Complexes
Neurobiology	Tissue Sectioning (live and fixed)
	Whole Brain Imaging up to 500 µm Thick (depends on sample transparency)
	Whole Brain Imaging 500+ µm Thick
	Map Brain Gene Expression (spatial genomics)
	Calcium Imaging (waves up to 40fps)
	Calcium Imaging (puffs, sparks > 40fps)
	Single Molecule Live Imaging (not SMLM)
	Growth Cone
	Receptor Localisation & Recycling
	Live Vesicular Transport
	Extra Cellular Vesicles Fusion
	Visualise Receptors at the Cell Membrane
	Live cell Imaging of Synaptic Vesicles
	Live Cell Imaging of Neuronal Cell Membrane Fusion
	Resolve Tethered Synaptic Vesicles (SMLM)
	Resolve Synapses in 3D (30 nm axially)(SMLM)
Biophysics	Protein-Protein Interactions
	Protein Membrane Dynamics
	Single Protein Transport
	Endo and Exocytosis
	Localization-Based Super Resolution
Expansion Microscopy 1,2
Multiplex Imaging - Spatially resolved transcriptomics 2,3
Multiplex imaging - Spatially resolved proteomics 2,3

Key: - Not Suitable

- Possible not recommended

- Partially Suitable

- Recommended

Notes:

• Depends on laser power - the ability to image through the depth of the sample.
• Depends on throughput requirement. BC43 has just one camera and does not capture as fast as Dragonfly.
• BC 43 is limited to 4 laser lines. Spatial transcriptomics typically requires 5 lines.

Microscope Selection by Imaging Technique

Key: ✔ - Possible, O - Might be Possible, ✘ - Not Possible

* tested on cleared samples