Our microscopy and digital imaging facility is equipped with a wide range of state-of-the art confocal microscopes, a transmission electron microscope, dissecting microscopes, and fluorescent microscopes.

Confocal Microscopes

The confocal microscope is a powerful tool for generating high-resolution images and 3D reconstructions of specimens. Confocal microscopy is superior to conventional fluorescent microscopy because of the clarity and depth of field that allow detailed investigation of the localization and function of various molecular components within a cell.

Our confocal microscopes include:

  • An Olympus FV1000, multi-photon confocal microscope
  • A Leica TCS NT confocal microscope

Our Olympus FV1000-MPE multi-photon confocal microscope features the following:

Spectral Scanner System with Spectrometer
Lasers
Spectra Physics Mai-Tai DeepSee Red/IR laser. Tunable 690-1020 nm
3-line Argon Laser (458/488/515 nm)
Combinational Red Laser Diode (LD559/635 nm)
Violet Laser Diode (LD405 nm)

Detectors
Dual Scan head for internal detectors: 2 spectral detectors, 2 standard detectors
Two channel external detectors
7215D-PSAC; InfraRed Viewer for Laser Alignment
Scan Optics with motorized Fluorescence Cube Turret
2nm high-resolution spectral scanning

Olympus Inverted Microscope
Olympus IX81 Inverted Microscope set
Motorized XYZ stage
Motorized DIC/Phase Condenser
Transmitted light detector
Mercury fluorescence detector


Olympus Objectives

PLAN APO

1.25x

0.04NA

WD 5.1mm

Air

UPLANSAPO

4x

0.16NA

WD 13mm

Air

UPLANSAPO

10x

0.4NA

WD 3.1mm

Air

UMPLFL

20x

0.95NA

WD 2mm

Air

XLPL

25x

1.05NA

WD 2mm

Air

LUMPLFL

40x

0.8NA

WD 3.3mm

Water

PLANAPO

60x

1.2NA

WD 0.28

Water

UPLSAPO

100x

1.4NA

WD 0.17

Oil



FV1000 MPE system: Optic specifications
Lasers Excitation
wavelength
Dyes & Fluorophores Primary dichroic mirror (nm) Secondary dichroic mirror (nm)
405 LD 405nm DAPI, Hoechst 405/488/559 490
Multi-line
Argon
458nm CFP 458/515 510
488nm Alexa 488,
Oregon Green,
FITC, GFP, EGFP, DiO, Cy2
405/488/559 560
515nm YFP, EYFP 458/515 560
559 LD 559nm Cy3, TRITC, DsRed, mCherry, Alexa 543,
Alexa 594
405/488/559 575-620

640
635 LD 633 nm Alexa 633, Alexa 647,
Alexa 688, Cy5,
TO-PRO3
405/488/559/635 655-755



Incubation Chamber Unit for Live Cell Image
Tokai Hit INU/Stage-Top Incubator for Motorized Stage,
35mm Dish attachment with built-in digital gas mixer for supplying 5%CO2 + 95% O2 into the Chamber unit



Other Microscopes and Instruments
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) (Philips CM10)
Laser Capture Microdissection System (AutoPix LCM) (Arcturus LCM1110)
Zeiss inverted FluorescentScope (Axiovert 10)
Zeiss photomicroscope (Axiophot)
Olympus BX51 Microscope System (BX51 TRF)
Olympus SZ-40 Dissecting microscope
Olympus BH2 dual-head microscope
Olympus BH2 single-head microscope
Olympus binocular microscope (BX-41TF)
Micromaster binocular microscope