Microscopy

Based on an Axio Observer inverted microscope it has seven laser excitation lines available from 4 lasers: 405, 458, 488, 514, 561, 594 and 633nm. There are five detectors: three for normal confocal imaging, one for transmitted light imaging, and the Airyscan GaAsP detector. The Airyscan GaAsP detector consists of 32 detector elements that are arranged to capture the entire point spread function, or “Airy Disk” in 32 separate images which can result in an increased optical resolution of up to 1.7X in lateral (x-y) and axial (z) axes. This system has the following objectives: Plan-Neofluar 10x/0.30, LD Lci Planapo 25x/0.8 (long working-distance, multiple immersion), F-Fluar 40x/1.30 Oil, C-Apochromat 40/1.2 Water, Plan-Apochromat 63x/1.40 Oil, C-Apochromat 63x/1.20 Water and Alpha-Plan-Apochromat 100x/1.46 Oil. All objectives have differential interference contrast imaging capability.  

The instrument is equipped with a motorized scanning stage with controller. The software is Zeiss ZEN 2.1 (Black edition) on a Windows-based computer system.

A three-channel confocal microscope specifically designed for long-term, live-cell imaging. Two GaAsP-PMT detectors have twice the quantum efficiency of previous PMTs which makes them much more light sensitive. This allows for lower laser intensity and detector power to achieve brighter images with less fading and/or specimen damage. The third detector is a transmitted light detector. Based on an Axio Observer Z1 inverted microscope it has four laser excitation lines from four solid-state lasers: 405, 488, 561 and 640nm. This system has the following objectives: Plan-Neofluar 2.5x/0.075, Plan-Neofluar 10x/0.30, LD Lci Planapo 25x/0.8 (long working-distance, multi- immersion), LD C-Apochromat 40x/1.10 W (long working-distance, water immersion), LD C-Apochromat 63x/1.15 Water and Alpha-Plan-Apochromat 100x/1.46 Oil. All objectives have differential interference contrast imaging capability.   

The instrument is equipped with a motorized scanning stage and has the Zeiss Definite Focus controller for ensuring precise focus during long-term time-lapse conditions when focus drift is often a problem.  

The system is enclosed in an environmental chamber that enables precise temperature control for the entire instrument and a heated stage insert for temperature regulation of CO2 levels at the specimen itself. Uses the Zeiss ZEN 2.1 (Blue version) Windows-based computer system. There is a software module for advanced positions and tiling and a complete analysis module for quantitative analysis.

An inverted microscope with GFP, TRITC/Cy3, DAPI, and Cy5, with the capability to substitute other filter cubes. The software includes Auto-focus, high speed image tiling and stitching, Z-stack, and BZ-X optical sectioning, which allows for confocal like images to be obtained. This system has the following objectives: Plan Apo 2x/0.10, Plan Fluor DL 10x/0.30 Ph 1, Plan Fluor LD PH 20XC/0.45 Ph1, Plan Fluor LD PH 40XC/0.60 Ph, Plan Apo 40x/0.95, CFI Plan Apo 60X4/1.4 Oil and is able to image slides and 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, or 384 welled plates. The camera has a max pixel of 4080 x 3060 (12.5 Megapixel).  All objectives have options for brightfield imaging with 10x, 20x, and 40x including phase contrast imaging capabilities. 

The system is equipped with motorized scanning stage and the stage is fully contained in a built-in dark room.