CIMBio/Fowler Light Microscopes

1.  Spinning Disk Confocal microscope with Perfect focus

Nikon TE2000 microscope with perfect focus and automated XYZ stage, equipped with a Yokagawa CSU22 spinning disk head, and Coolsnap HQ2 camera.  The microscope is also equipped with 20X, 40X, 60X and 100X phase objectives and Coherent Innova 300 Argon-Krypton mixed gas laser and AOTF for fast switching between 488, 568 and 647 nm. Images are acquired using a CoolSnap HQ2 camera with the Metamorph acquisition and analysis software.

2.  Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) Super-resolution microscope

Nikon Ti microscope with perfect focus and motorized TIRF illuminator for rapid switching of TIRF angles between different wavelengths.  The microscope is equipped with 60X and 100X TIRF objectives, a Coherent Innova 70 Argon-Krypton mixed gas laser and AOTF that allows rapid switching between 488, 568 and 647 nm.  The scope has two cameras.  High-resolution images can be acquired using a Coolsnap HQ2 camera, while the Andor 512x512 EMCCD camera can be used for low light events or acquisition for stochastic optical reconstruction (STORM).  Images are acquired using the Elements software from Nikon with FRET module.  The microscope is equipped with a 37-degree incubation chamber for live cell imaging.

3.  Zeiss Axiovert 200M Multi-stage Automated microscope

The widefield Zeiss inverted microscope is equipped with an automated XYZ stage, objectives, condenser, and filter turret.  It contains filters for DAPI, FITC, Cy3, Texas red, Cy5, CFP and YFP, and is equipped with 10X, 20X and 40X phase objectives, as well as 100X/1.4NA Plan-Apo, and 100X/1.45NA Plan-Fluar objectives.  Images are acquired using a CoolSnap HQ2 camera with the Metamorph acquisition and analysis software.

4.  Eppendorf Microinjection setup

The Eppendorf microinjection system consisting of the Eppendorf Injectman NI 2 micromanipulator and the Femtojet microinjector are set up on a Zeiss Axiovert100 microscope equipped with 5X, 10X, and 32X objectives and standard blue green and red fluorescence filters. Glass micropipettes for microinjection can be pulled on site using the P-87 Flaming/Brown micropipette puller from Sutter.

Operating Rules:

• Users must reserve the microscopes before use in online calendars.  If training or technical assistance is required, please request it in advance from Kersi Pestonjamasp, preferably a week before. 
• No lab may sign-up for more than sixteen hours of premium microscope time per week. Premium time is defined as normal business hours (9:00 am - 5:00 pm).  If available, additional premium hours may be requested on a first-come first-served basis no more than two days prior to the desired time.
• Users are required to make sure they allow 10 min for the lasers to cool down before shutting off chillers, clean microscope objectives and work area, and make sure the doors are locked.  If someone has booked the scope after you, please make sure they will be using the microscope before leaving the scope on.  The TIRF laser needs 30-60 mins to warm up and stabilize, so please plan experiments accordingly 
• Users are expected to back up their data regularly on their own storage devices, as data will be removed periodically from the microscope computers.