Services

Light and Confocal Microscopy, Image Processing:

• Assist investigators in producing high resolution images of cells and tissues using light microscopy.
• For those with little imaging experience the facility will help determine appropriate staining protocols, advise in the proper use of a microscope, and assist with the preparation of slides and prints.
• More sophisticated imaging is available using confocal microscopy and the SGI workstation to interactively visualize specimens in three dimensions and to perform extensive multi-dimensional quantitation.

Electron Microscopy:

• Conventional TEM: Routine processing of samples, (glutaraldehyde-osmium fixed, dehydrated and plastic embedded) including fresh tissue specimens, cultured cells growing on a substrate or cells in suspension; subcellular fractions (for purity determinations) with sectioning of thick or ultra-thin sections and photomicrography of the thin sections.
• Sub-cellular localization of antigens within cells by immunogold localization.
• Rapid freezing of tissue samples using the Lifecell CF100 rapid freeze apparatus followed by immunolocalization or freeze-substitution.
• Negative staining and rotary metal shadowing of individual proteins to allow high resolution imaging of the shapes and dimensions of individual protein molecules or complexes.