Danaher Corp. of Washington has purchased Leica Microsystems AG of Wetzlar, Germany, from LM Investments Sarl of Luxembourg for approximately $550 million, including assumed debt, pension liabilities, transaction costs and net of cash acquired. Leica produces precision optical systems for the analysis of microstructures. Its offerings are expected to extend Danaher’s professional instrumentation segment into the life sciences, while complementing its dental and critical care diagnostics businesses.