The high-speed imaging technique, combined with voltage-sensitive or calcium-sensitive dyes, allows for the precise recording, analysis of bioelectrical signals within tissues or cells. This process is further enhanced through specialized software for data analysis. The intensity of light in these tissues or cells changes according to voltage or calcium concentration thanks to voltage-sensitive or calcium-sensitive dyes. A high-speed camera capable of capturing images at frequencies above 2KHz is used to record the process of electrical signal changes in tissues or cells. The software records the dynamic changes in the bioelectrical signals' images and further analyzes the signal change processes in regions of interest, editing them into waveform curves. This not only enables the acquisition of the timing of electrical signal changes but also their spatial distribution and propagation patterns.

The high-speed imaging electrophysiology analysis system is widely applied in cardiovascular and neuroscience research. It measures a range of subjects including cells, tissues, brain slices, cardiac muscle slices, etc. Its application fields include cardiovascular research, neuroscience research, drug screening, drug safety evaluation, among others.

Principle

Calcium Imaging Technology

• Calcium ion-sensitive fluorescent indicators are used to label tissue or cell samples.

• Experimental samples are placed on the microscope stage, and a high frame rate camera captures the activity process of the samples.

• Software analyzes the changes in calcium concentration during the sample activity and records these as change curves; for example, calcium ion change curves, the number of calcium releases, and the amplitude of instantaneous calcium increases.

  
  

Voltage Imaging Technology

• Fluorescent indicators sensitive to membrane potential changes (Voltage Indicators) are used to directly label voltage changes on the cell membrane.

• Samples are also placed on the microscope stage, and a high frame rate camera captures the voltage signal change process during sample activity.

• Voltage changes directly respond to the occurrence process of action potentials, with voltage changes being faster than those of calcium ions, providing higher temporal resolution.

• DV-1K can capture voltage changes in tissue or cell samples at frame rates up to 2KHz.

• Software analyzes the voltage change process during sample activity and records these analyses as change curves; for instance, the voltage change process, amplitude, frequency, times of change, and duration.

• The DaVinci-1K camera achieves high frame rates, excellent aspect ratios, and large field imaging.

• It supports voltage imaging rates of 2KHz, with high-speed cameras capable of reaching up to 5KHz.

• User-friendly signal processing software that simultaneously displays sample images and signal data.

• It can analyze calcium signals or voltage signals from up to 32 regions of interest at the same time.

• Allows manual selection of areas for analysis.

• Provides a platform for high-speed imaging measurement and analysis of calcium signals and voltage signals at single-cell, multi-cell, and whole-tissue levels.

• Ideal equipment for studying cardiac and neural signal transmission.

Amy Erica Lin , Patrick T. Ellinor, Benjamin L. Ebert, et.al., (2024)Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential With Loss of Tet2 Enhances Risk for Atrial Fibrillation Through Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation. Circulation, Volume 149, Number 18.

Yi-Chieh Huang, Hui-Ching Chen, Yu-Ting Lin, ..., Eric R. Schreiter, Bei-Jung Lin, Tsai-Wen Chen. (2024) Dynamic assemblies of parvalbumin interneurons in brain oscillations, Neuron 112, 1–14

Jelena Platisa, Xin Ye, Allison M. Ahrens, Chang Liu, Ichun Anderson Chen, Ian G.Davision, Lei Tian, Vicent A.Pieribone, Jerry L.Chen(2023) High-speed low-light in vivo two-photon voltage imaging of large neuronal populations. Nature Methods volume 20, pages1095–1103

Yihe Ma, Wen-Chi Shu, Lin Lin, Xiao-Jie Cao, Donata Oertel, Philip H. Smith and Meyer B. Jackson(2023) Imaging Voltage Globally and in Isofrequency Lamina in Slices of Mouse Ventral Cochlear Nucleus. eNeuro 15 February 2023, 10 (3)

Katherine S. Scheuer, Anna M. Jansson, Minjie Shen, Xinyu Zhao and Meyer B. Jackson(2025) Fxr1 Deletion from Cortical Parvalbumin Interneurons Modifies Their Excitatory Synaptic Responses. eNeuro 3 January 2025, 12 (1) 

Aneesh Bapat, Guoping Li, Ling Xiao, et.al., (2022) Genetic inhibition of serum glucocorticoid kinase 1 prevents obesity-related atrial fibrillation. JCI Insight. 2022 Oct 10;7(19)

Kikuchi K, Holdway JE, Werdich AA, Anderson RM, Fang Y, Egnaczyk GF, Evans T, Macrae CA, Stainier DY, Poss KD. (2010) Primary contribution to zebrafish heart regeneration by gata4(+) cardiomyocytes. Nature 464(7288):601-5