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Resources & Services

Training: To arrange training on any resources, contact Jennifer Santini, Managing Director.

Microscopes

Leica SP8 Confocal with Lightning Deconvolution

What it’s good for

  • Super Resolution Confocality
  • Determining colocalization for multiple signals
  • Acquisition of up to 4 color channels simultaneously
  • Acquisition of multiple color channels sequentially
  • Acquisition of a transmitted light image with DIC
  • Fixed cells or tissues on a slide with a coverslip (#1.5) or in a dish
  • Spectral Deconvolution to correct for overlapping signals
  • On the fly image deconvolution for super resolution of 120nm in X and Y and 200nm in Z

What it’s not good for

  • Live Cells: This system does not have incubation for live cell applications

Principles of operation

Laser light of specific wavelengths is scanned across the sample and filtered before detection to produce a high resolution image composed of a small optical slice of the sample. Deconvolution further enhances resolution.

Technical information

  • Microscope: Leica DMi8 Inverted
  • Spectral for all channels laser lines
  • 405
  • 488
  • 552
  • 633

Microscope objectives

  • 10x (.40 NA)
  • 20x Oil / Glycerol / Water (.75 NA)
  • 40x Oil (1.30 NA)
  • 63x Oil (1.40 NA)

Software & supplemental information

Leica LAS Lite Software Download

Leica Microsystems - WhitePaper LIGHTNING: Image Information Extraction by Adaptive Deconvolution (PDF)

Leica SP8 Confocal with White Light Laser, Falcon (FLIM), STED, and Lightning Deconvolution

What it’s good for

  • STED Super Resolution <50nm in XY
  • Tunable excitation source for hand picking excitation wavelengths of up to 8 simultaneously (470nm-670nm)
  • FLIM acquisition with Falcon module
  • Incubation for live cell imaging (only BSL1 cell lines)
  • Determining colocalization for multiple signals
  • Acquisition of up to 5 color channels simultaneously
  • Acquisition of multiple color channels sequentially
  • Acquisition of a transmitted light image with DIC
  • Fixed cells or tissues on a slide with a coverslip (#1.5) or in a dish
  • Spectral Deconvolution to correct for overlapping signals
  • On the fly image deconvolution for super resolution of 120nm in X and Y and 200nm in Z

Principles of operation

Laser light of specific wavelengths is scanned across the sample and filtered before detection to produce a high resolution image composed of a small optical slice of the sample. STED enahances resolution by shrinking fluorescence to a small spot with a depletion laser. Deconvolution further enhances resolution, including STED images.

Technical information

  • Microscope: Leica DMi8 Inverted
  • Spectral for all channels
  • PMT and HyD detectors
  • STED - Super Resolution depletion lines
  • White Light Laser tunable to any desired excitation between 470 and 670nm

Microscope objectives

  • 10x (.40 NA)
  • 20x Oil / Glycerol / Water (.75 NA)
  • 40x Water (1.1 NA)
  • 63x Oil (STED)
  • 100x Oil (STED)

Sample preparation guidelines For STED imaging only:

Choice of samples:

  • For Live samples: Media should be clear and contain no phenol red or other color additives
  • For Fixed Samples: RI of mounting medium should match RI of immersion used (prolong glass or diamond)
  • DAPI should be AVOIDED, especially when using green fluorophores
  • Autofluorescence should be extremely low
  • It's important that the sample doesn't absorb 592nm, 660nm or 775nm
  • Use only #1.5 coverglass, including for glass bottom dishes

Recommended Dyes:

  • Single color for 592nm depletion line
    • DyLight 488 or 514
    • Oregon Green 488 or 514
    • AlexaFluor 488 or 514
    • ATTO 488 or 514
  • Single color for 660nm depletion line
    • Alexa 532
    • ATTO 532 or 550
    • TMR/TRITC
    • Cy3
    • Alexa 555
  • Single color for 775nm depletion line
    • ATTO 647N
    • Alexa 633
    • Alexa 594
    • ATTO 590

Recommended Fluorescent Proteins:

  • eGFP (484nm ex / 592nm depletion)
  • EmGFP (487nm ex / 592nm depletion)
  • eYFP (514nm ex / 592/660nm depletion)
  • Venus (515nm ex / 592/660nm depletion)
  • mCitrine (516nm ex / 592/660nm depletion)
  • dsRed (558nm ex / 660nm depletion)
  • mStrawberry (574nm ex / 660nm depletion)
  • mKate2 (588nm ex / 775nm depletion)
  • Fluorescent Proteins to AVOID: mCherry, CFP, tagRFP

Software & supplemental information

Leica LAS Lite Software Download
STED Sample preparation guide - Confocal Application Letter (PDF)
STED Sample Prep Oct 18 (PPTX)
LIGHTNING WhitePaper (PDF)
STED 3X Sample Prep 2018.pdf - Powered by Box.html

Olympus VS200 Slide Scanner

What it's good for

  • Generating brightfield and multi-color fluorescent images of entire slides or tissue sections automatically
  • 7 fluorescent colors
  • Fixed cells or sections on a standard 1 x 3 slide with a coverslip (#1.5) or 2 x 3 slides
  • Can scan up to 210 slides automatically

What it's NOT good for

  • Thick tissue slices (greater than 50um)
  • Timelapse or live cell applications

Principles of operation

Fluorescent light from an LED lamp filtered for emission or brighfield light produce an image by tiling specified areas of a slide to generate montage reconstructions.

Technical information

  • 7 fluorescent color channels and brightfield:
  • DAPI - Ex 345 Em 432/36
  • FITC - Ex 494 Em 515/30
  • TRITC - Ex 555 Em 600/31
  • CY5 - Ex 625 Em 685/42
  • Cy7 - Ex 743 Em 810/81
  • CFP - Ex 458 Em 482/25
  • YFP - Ex 513 Em 544/25
  • Motorized X-Y capability for slide scanning
  • Microscope objective:
  • 2x, 4x, 20x (.80 NA), 40x oil (1.40NA)

Files must be named in the proper format to open. There is a folder and thumbnail for each image.

Example

VS200-format.jpg

For slide preparations

  • No wet slides - must be completely dry
  • Use #1 or #1.5 coverslips

Software for Processing

Download OlyVIA Viewer

https://qupath.github.io/

Zeiss Elyra 7 Lattice SIM

What it's good for

  • Generating multi-color fluorescent images 
  • Live cell imaging - incubation provided
  • Super resolution down to 60nm XY
  • 4 fluorescent colors - 2 channel simultaneous acquisition (see table)
  • Fixed cells or sections on a standard 1 x 3 slide with a coverslip (#1.5)
  • Live cells in a 35mm glass bottom dish, glass bottom chamber slide, or glass bottom plate
  • Apotome imaging
  • Lattice structured illumination imaging
  • Laser wide-field imaging
  • TIRF Imaging

What it's NOT good for

  • Thick tissue slices (greater than 100um)
  • Lattice SIM is not good for samples with diffuse structureless fluorescence or low contrast

Principles of operation

Fluorescent light from lasers filtered for emission produce an image from wide-field resolutions to super resolutions down to 60nm XY. A lattice pattern is placed in the light path to surpass the diffraction limit and produce super resolutions in lattice SIM. A lattice pattern is placed in the light path to improve resolutions over wide-field.

Technical information

  • 4 fluorescent color channels:
  • DAPI (405nm)
  • FITC  (488nm)
  • TRITC (561nm)
  • CY5 (642nm)
  • Motorized X-Y capability for multiposition imaging
  • Microscope objectives:
  • 10x (.75NA), 20x (.80 NA), 40x (1.40NA water), 63x (1.40NA oil), 100x (1.45NA oil)

Dual Camera Acquisition Parameters: 

Color Combination Camera 2 Camera 1
Dapi / TRITC 420-480nm 560nm LP
Dapi / CY5 420-480nm 655nm LP
FITC / TRITC 495-550nm 570-620nm
FITC / TRITC 495-525nm 655nm LP

For sample preparations

  • No wet slides - must be completely dry
  • Use #1.5 coverslips or #1.5 coverslip bottom formats

All live cell imaging must be approved by core. Please submit a BUA authorization form along with your lab's BUA report for authorization.

 

 

Gatan 3View SBFS on Zeiss Sigma SEM

This system is capable of performing the following techniques:

Principles of operation

Serial block face scanning electron microscopy generates EM resolution 3D images. The system has an ultramicrotome inside the chamber of the SEM, which allows for automatic cutting of a tissue block. The surface of the block is imaged by detection of back-scattered electrons and then a thin section (30-50nm) is cut from the block face. The sample block is then imaged again and a sequence of images can be compiled automatically.

For more information, or access to this technology, contact Jennifer Santini.

Gatan 3View System Publications

Probes for Correlative EM

Colloidal Gold w/wo silver enhancement
DAB Photo-oxidation for EM (i.e., Fluorescent Protein, FlAsH and ReAsH, Eosin, miniSOG, APEX, mEos4)
Quantum Dots (size and shape)
En bloc autofluorescence/stains (acridine orange)
Fluorescent Proteins (LR White and LR Gold)
LR White section surface immunofluorescence - Array Tomography (PDF)

Zeiss Z.1 Light Sheet

What it’s good for

  • Thick specimens and whole organisms: Cleared tissue, zebrafish etc.
  • Fast acquisition speeds and low phototoxicity
  • Incubation for live imaging
  • Acquisition of up to 2 color channels simultaneously
  • Acquisition of multiple color channels sequentially

What it's not good for

  • Fixed cells or tissues on a slide with a coverslip (#1.5) or in a dish

Principles of operation

Laser light of specific wavelengths is passed through the sample as a sheet from 1 or 2 sides, perpendicular to the detection optics. Laser excitation, Emission filters and 2 CMOS cameras generate an image at a specific wavelength. Sample is moved through the sheet of light for Z stack acquisition.

Technical information

  • Filter based emission for all channels
  • 2 pico.edge CMOS cameras
  • 3 specimen chambers for different objectives and refractive index
  • Incubation for chamber
  • Laser Excitations:
  • 405nm
  • 445nm
  • 488nm
  • 514nm
  • 560nm
  • 638nm

Microscope objectives

  • EC Plan-Neofluar 5x (.16NA) Air
  • CLR Plan-Neofluar 20x Corr (1.0NA) dipping
  • Plan-Apochromatic 10x (.5NA) dipping
  • W Plan-Apochromatic 20x (1.0NA) dipping

Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal with FAST Airyscan

What it’s good for

  • High resolution imaging at 1.7x resolution increase over standard confocal imaging
  • High acquisition speed, at 4x faster acquisition than confocal mode
  • High sensitivity with use of special detectors
  • Shuttle and Find capability to merge light and electron microscopy techniques for Correlative Microscopy
  • Acquisition of up to 3 color channels simultaneously
  • Acquisition of multiple channels sequentially
  • Acquisition of a high contrast DIC image
  • Fixed cells or tissues on a slide with a coverslip (#1.5)
  • Live cells, small organisms or tissues in a chamber or dish with a coverslip bottom (#1.5) (only BSL1 cell lines)
  • Spectral Deconvolution to correct for overlapping signals
  • Calcium Dynamics
  • FRET
  • Stimulus and bleaching applications

What it’s not good for

  • Live animal imaging (large animals such as mouse)

Principles of operation

Laser light of specific wavelengths is scanned across the sample and filtered before detection to produce a high resolution image composed of a small optical slice of the sample. Alternative detection at high resolution and sensitivity avoids discrimination of light with a pinhole, and utliizes a 32 detector array that can generate higher resolution images by detection of specific airy units.

Technical information

  • Microscope: Ziess Observer inverted stand
  • Incubated with CO2
  • DIC channel
  • laser lines
  • 405
  • 458
  • 488
  • 515
  • 543
  • 594
  • 633

MDPI photonics: Exploring the Potential of Airyscan Microscopy for Live Cell Imaging

Zeiss stage inserts

Zeiss stage inserts

Hamamatsu Nanozoomer Slide Scanning System

The Hamamatsu Nanozoomer is an older system. Therefore we no longer perform training sessions on this microscope. Our new Olympus VS200 slide scanner is the replacement system for the nanozoomer. Please request training on the Olympus VS200 slide scanner if you want access to slide scanning technology.

What it's good for

  • Generating brightfield images of entire slides or tissue sections automatically
  • Fixed cells or sections on a standard 1 x 3 slide with a coverslip (#1.5)
  • Can scan up to 210 slides automatically

What it's NOT good for

  • Thick tissue slices
  • Timelapse

Principles of operation

Fluorescent light from a mercury lamp is filtered for excitation and emission or brighfield light produce an image by scanning specified areas of a slide to generate montage reconstructions.

Technical information

  • Motorized X-Y capability for slide scanning
  • Microscope objective:
  • 20x (.75 NA)

For slide preparations

  • No frosted glass
  • No beveled edges of any kind on the slides
  • No label or coverslips hanging off edge or extra mounting medium on edges
  • No wet slides - must be completely dry
  • Use #1 coverslips

Software

Hamamatsu Nanozoomer NDP View 2 Software Download

Keyence BZX-700 Fluorescent Microscope

Olympus MVX10 Macroview

What it's good for

  • Low magnification observation
  • Brightfield (color)
  • Darkfield
  • Fluorescence
  • Obtaining images of:
  • intact organs
  • whole sections
  • Field view from 55mm to 1.74mm

What it's NOT good for

  • High magnification
  • Multipoint timelapse
  • Low contrast brightfield samples
  • Low fluorescence

Principles of operation

Fluorescent light from a mercury lamp is filtered for excitation and emission.

Technical information

  • Microscope Base: MVX10
  • Color CCD camera
  • 4 fluorescent color channels:
  • DAPI
  • FITC
  • Texas Red
  • Cy5.5
  • Color brightfield
  • Microscope Objectives:
  • .63x
  • 2x

Zeiss Upright Widefield Microscope with Apotome for Correlative Array Tomography

Software, Histology & Other Resources

Software

Image Pro Plus with 3D Constructor

Powerful 2D and 3D image processing, enhancement, and analysis software with extensive measurement and customization features.

Softworx Suite

Deconvolution with image correction featuring constrained iterative 3D image restoration and image correction, a quantitatively validated deconvolution solution generating the most accurate measure of sample fluorescence available.

Imaris

3D and 4D Real-Time Interactive Image Visualization and Measurements of Large Data Sets, including filament tracing.

Volocity High Performance 3D Imaging Software

High quality and easy to use image processing software with visualization, quantification and restoration Modules for 3D and 4D rendering, measurements and deconvolution.

Free software downloads

Histology Services

Services Offered

Services not offered:

  • We do not provide standard histology services such as parrafin and OCT embedding and cutting.
  • We do not provide staining of cells and tissues.

Array Tomography Information

Videos for Histological Preparations

Slide Scanning Services

We will scan your slides for you!

Cost

The cost of services includes:

  • prep, load and set up your slide scanning run.
  • hourly microscope charges, plus 1 or more hours of technical assistance fees per session.

See all rates

Options

Slides can be scanned on the Olympus VS200 or Hamamatsu Nanozoomer as brightfield or fluorescence

Safety Requirements

Only BSL1 material is allowed in a majority of the Microscopy Core.

If you wish to do any live cell imaging in the core, you must have approval by submitting a BUA authorization form to core staff along with a copy of your BUA report listing the proposed research material.

Live Animal Imaging

If you are performing live animal imaging, you must have an approved protocol through (IACUC).

All publications generated utilizing our resources must cite our grant:

NINDS P30NS047101

If the Elyra 7 Lattice SIM Instrument was utilized, please cite our S10 grant:

S1OD030505