Leica Microsystems has announced the launch of its new product, Leica Application Suite X (LAS X) imaging software for lifesciences spanning all widefield, confocal and super-resolution platforms. LAS X introduces new features for microscopic image acquisition, processing and analysis while maintaining established principles of its predecessor software LAS AF, such as the workflow-based approach. LAS X guides researchers intuitively through image acquisition, data recording and evaluation in live cell imaging, providing for a maximum of reproducibility as customized system settings can be saved. Its basic version is called LAS X Core and provides numerous functions.

With the Easy Operation Mode, users can design their own user interface layout. The Dye Assistant for confocal microscopes helps select the right acquisition settings by just entering the used fluorescent markers.

"In developing the new imaging software platform LAS X, we have focused on the user-friendliness of the software. We have taken common workflows most users know and follow into account and translated them into software and this way continued the workflow-based approach of the predecessor LAS AF. Our software is designed to facilitate the users' research experiments are broken down step by step so that researchers can set up experiments more easily. That is the philosophy behind LAS X," said Mr Markus Schechter, product manager, Leica Microsystems.

The 3D and the 2D image analysis wizards generate reproducible analysis results from multi-dimensional data sets. Analyses between separate channels can be combined to obtain object-specific data. Within the 2D Analysis wizard, tracking experiments can be performed, and image analysis protocols can be combined with ImageJ macros. 

The hardware-based Adaptive Focus Control (AFC) and the software-based autofocus are integrated in LAS X. Experimental conditions such as temperature, CO2 and O2 are documented and controlled with the Environmental Control module. For long-term time-lapse and screening experiments, the software-controlled micro dispenser compensates evaporation of water immersion.

The basic version LAS X Core comes with features such as microscope control, full image viewer capability, diverse processing and quantification tools, movie export, the ability to recall imaging parameters and many more.