PhenoSys Mini2P two-photon microscope for high-resolution calcium imaging

PhenoSys has announced the Mini2P, a miniature two-photon (2P) microscope for fast, high-resolution, multi-plane calcium imaging that is designed to be headmounted in freely moving mice. Weighing approximately 2.6 g, the product combines a compact, ultralight microscope body with a highly flexible connection cable, enabling stable, high-quality imaging without interfering with natural animal behaviour.

The device features a MEMS-based X-Y scanner and a µTlens for Z-scanning, for precise control across three dimensions. A 920 nm two-photon laser produces clean femtosecond pulses (<120 fs) for optimal signal quality. The system achieves imaging speeds of 40 Hz at 256 x 256 pixels over a large 420 x 420 µm² field of view and supports multilayer imaging up to 240 µm in depth. Researchers can easily adapt the microscope to different experimental needs through a set of interchangeable objectives, making it suitable for imaging diverse brain regions such as the visual cortex, medial entorhinal cortex or hippocampus.

The optimised optical design enables simultaneous recording of neuronal activity from more than 1000 cells within a single brain region, or over 10,000 neurons across adjacent fields of view. The device delivers consistently stable imaging even during complex behaviours such as climbing and jumping, providing researchers with a clear view of neural activity in naturalistic conditions.

PhenoSys offers the Mini2P as a turnkey solution, including the miniature 2P microscope with integrated fibre optics, a femtosecond laser, and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) mounted directly on the scope body. The package also includes flexible DAQ hardware and user-friendly software, offering full access to raw data and support for system customisation and extension.

By combining lightweight design, high imaging stability and good optical performance, the product provides neuroscientists with a powerful tool for investigating neural circuit dynamics in freely behaving animals.