Building or upgrading an electrophysiology microscope rig can get expensive quickly—especially when purchasing every component new.

At Microscope Marketplace, we offer a large inventory of used and refurbished microscope stands, water-immersion objectives, optical components, illuminators, condensers, stages, camera adapters, and other hard-to-find parts that can help researchers build an electrophysiology setup while keeping costs under control.

You can build your own system piece by piece, upgrade an existing rig, or purchase one of our complete electrophysiology microscope systems.

One of our favorite platforms for these applications is the Olympus BX51WI.

Olympus BX51WI for Electrophysiology

The Olympus BX51WI is a research microscope platform designed around applications that require access to specimens while maintaining high-quality visualization.

The "WI" stands for water immersion, and the BX51WI has long been associated with electrophysiology and physiological research applications.

For electrophysiology researchers, the open configuration of a dipping microscope is especially useful because experiments frequently require room around the specimen for electrodes, micromanipulators, perfusion equipment, chambers, tubing, and other experimental components.

If you're putting together an electrophysiology laboratory, the BX51WI provides an excellent foundation for building a customized rig around your particular research.

Build Your Own Electrophysiology Rig

Not every laboratory needs to purchase a completely new microscope system.

In many cases, researchers already have some of the equipment they need.

Maybe you have the camera.

Maybe you already own the micromanipulators.

Maybe you need a microscope stand but already have compatible Olympus optics.

Or perhaps you purchased a used electrophysiology setup and simply need the right objective, condenser, illuminator, filter, adapter, or replacement component to get it running again.

That's where Microscope Marketplace can help.

We stock a large selection of used and refurbished Olympus microscope components that can be combined to build, repair, or upgrade an electrophysiology microscope.

Instead of buying an entirely new system, you can purchase the components you actually need.

What Goes Into an Electrophysiology or Dipping Microscope?

An electrophysiology microscope can be configured many different ways depending on the experiment, but a typical system may include components such as:

• Microscope stand

• Water-immersion objectives

• Objective nosepiece or objective mount

• Transmitted-light illuminator

• Condenser

• DIC components

• Infrared or IR-DIC components

• Polarizer and analyzer

• DIC prisms

• Filter holders

• Fluorescence illuminator

• Fluorescence filter cubes

• Trinocular observation head

• Eyepieces

• Camera port

• Camera adapters

• Scientific camera

• Specimen or recording chamber

• Stage or platform

• Micromanipulators

• Electrode holders

• Perfusion equipment

• Vibration isolation table

• Light source

• Power supply

• Optical filters and accessories

The exact configuration depends heavily on what you're doing.

Patch-clamp electrophysiology, brain-slice experiments, live-cell work, fluorescence imaging, and other physiological applications can each require a different combination of components.

That's also why buying a microscope specifically configured for your experiment makes more sense than paying for components you don't need.

Water-Immersion Objectives

The objective is one of the most important components of a dipping microscope.

Microscope Marketplace regularly carries Olympus water-immersion objectives as well as objectives from other major microscope manufacturers.

Depending on availability, we may have objectives with different magnifications, numerical apertures, working distances, and optical corrections.

For electrophysiology applications, working distance can be particularly important because researchers need enough physical space around the specimen for electrodes and other equipment.

We predominantly specialize in used and refurbished microscope equipment, making Microscope Marketplace a great resource for finding premium objectives without necessarily paying the price of a brand-new lens.

IR-DIC and DIC for Electrophysiology

Many electrophysiology configurations use differential interference contrast techniques to improve visualization of transparent specimens.

IR-DIC is particularly useful in applications where researchers need to visualize structures deeper within a specimen, such as cells within brain slices.

Creating the proper optical path can require several components working together, including the appropriate objective, condenser, DIC prisms, polarizer, analyzer, filters, and illumination.

These components can become expensive when purchased individually as new equipment.

Used components can offer substantial savings when building a rig—provided you're buying the correct parts.

That's where our experience becomes particularly valuable.

Complete Olympus BX51WI Systems Available

Don't want to build your microscope one component at a time?

Microscope Marketplace also has complete Olympus BX51WI systems available.

Depending on our current inventory, these systems may already include many of the major components needed to create an electrophysiology or water-immersion microscope setup.

From there, we can help customize the system around your research requirements.

Tell us what you're doing and what equipment you already have, and we can help determine what else you'll need.

Already Have a BX51WI? Upgrade It.

One of the advantages of working with a modular research microscope platform is the ability to change the configuration over time.

If you already have an Olympus BX51WI, you may not need another microscope.

You may simply need the right part.

Microscope Marketplace carries a large inventory of objectives, optical components, adapters, illuminators, observation heads, camera components, DIC parts, fluorescence components, and other Olympus microscope parts.

This can also make us a valuable resource for laboratories trying to keep an older electrophysiology rig operating.

Sometimes a single hard-to-find component is all that's standing between an unused microscope and a working research system.

Used, Refurbished and New Components

Our inventory is primarily used and refurbished microscope equipment.

That's one of the biggest advantages for researchers trying to build a high-quality electrophysiology setup on a reasonable budget.

Premium research microscope components can be expensive when purchased new. Used OEM components allow laboratories to put more of their budget toward the parts of the experiment where it matters most.

We check our used components and accurately describe their condition.

And if we don't have the component you need in our used inventory, we can also help source or order new microscope parts when available.

You aren't limited to what's sitting on our shelf.

A Great Resource for New Electrophysiology Labs

Starting a new electrophysiology laboratory can involve a long equipment list.

The microscope is only one piece.

You may also need cameras, vibration isolation, micromanipulators, amplifiers, data-acquisition equipment, perfusion systems, electrodes, computers, and numerous accessories.

Saving money on the microscope and optical components can free up valuable research dollars for other parts of the laboratory.

Instead of automatically purchasing an entirely new microscope system, consider building around a quality used Olympus BX51WI stand.

You can start with the essentials and add capabilities as your research develops.

Let Us Help You Build Your Electrophysiology Microscope

Microscope Marketplace has been supporting laboratories and researchers for decades.

If you're building an electrophysiology rig, don't feel like you have to figure out every Olympus part number yourself.

Tell us what you're trying to accomplish.

Send us pictures of the equipment you already have.

Tell us what objectives, camera, contrast methods, fluorescence capabilities, or other features you need.

Our team can help identify compatible components and put together a system that makes sense for your research and your budget.

Whether you need a complete Olympus BX51WI electrophysiology microscope or one hard-to-find water-immersion objective, Microscope Marketplace is a great place to start.

Build Your Rig and Save

A high-quality electrophysiology microscope doesn't necessarily have to mean purchasing an entirely new system.

At Microscope Marketplace, you can shop complete Olympus BX51WI systems or build your own dipping microscope using quality used and refurbished components.

Choose the stand.

Choose your water-immersion objective.

Add the optics and contrast components you need.

Add your camera and accessories.

And build a microscope around your experiment—not the other way around.

Visit Microscope Marketplace to explore our current selection of Olympus BX51WI microscopes, water-immersion objectives, DIC components, microscope parts, and other electrophysiology equipment.

If you can't find the exact component you're looking for, contact us. We may have it available, be able to locate it, or order a new component for your system.

Microscope Marketplace — helping researchers build better microscope systems while making their equipment budgets go further.