This is a service instrument for use by any group that needs it. The microscope can be operated by BBPIC staff, or investigators may be trained for independent use.

Mercury arc lamps are used for fluorescence microscopy instead of lasers. This gives a wide choice of fluorophores, and is not limited to 2 or 3 specific excitation lines, as with lasers. Also, Hg illumination allows the excitation of UV and short wavelenght blues dyes, such as DAPI and the Hoechst nuclear dyes. Excitation at UV wavelengths with laser-scanning confocal (LSC) microscopes requires either expensive UV-lasers or special multi-photon microscopes. The BBPIC microscope as well has 340 nm and 380 nm excitation filter cubes in the reflector turret for calcium ratioing studies.

Confocal microscopy is done using a spinning Nipkow disc. This confocal mode requires a reasonably bright signal, but gives the potential of studying living cells and samples that are sensitive to the phototoxicity and photobleaching of laser based systems.

Image series can be collected as Z-stacks through a sample, as a series of time-lapse images, or both, as time-lapse Z-stacks. These series may also be acquired at a single-wavelength, or as multiple-wavelength images for multiple labeling studies.

Specimens may also be examined by transmitted brightfield illumination, transmitted-light differential interference contrast (DIC), asymmetric illumination contrast (AIC), or epi-fluorescence.

Images collected by any of these methods may then be deconvolved using the microscope's software. The software and hardware are fully integrated so that the imaging program acquires the information needed to do the deconvolution when the image is acquired.

Image recording is done with a cooled CCD monochrome digital camera. Image files may be saved in the Zeiss format or in JPG, TIF, or other formats.

Please contact Ralph Albrecht or Joe Heintz for further information.

Click here for instrument scheduling.