CORE--CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR IMAGING FACILITY

Texas A&M University System, College Station TX

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Applicant?s abstract): This core will provide centralized electrophysiology and imaging facilities, including equipment, supplies and technical help. The core will include two divisions: a Cell Physiology Division consisting of an electrophysiology/imaging workstation and a Molecular Imaging Division consisting of a molecular light imaging system for macroscopic fluorescence measurements and a plate luminometer for bio- and chemi-luminescent assays. All of the proposed projects plan to use both divisions in this core. The Cell Physiology Division will be directed by Dr. Zoran and will be located in the Biological Imaging Laboratory (BIL). An experienced, full-time technician will oversee the operation of the equipment. The BIL is currently equipped with an Zeiss Axioplan microscope equipped with fluorescence, bright field and differential interference contrast optics, a Hamamatsu CCD camera, an Olympus inverted microscope, an Olympus stereomicroscope, a phospho-imager, several networked computer stations, and printers. The Core would expand these facilities to include a new camera, a vibration isolation table and an electrophysiological workstation, and an additional Olympus inverted microscope with integrated electrophysiology and quantitative fluorescence system and computer. This equipment will provide capabilities for integrated patch clamp electrophysiological studies and real-time quantitative fluorescence imaging and data acquisition. The Molecular Imaging Division will be housed in a new facility in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and will be supervised by Dr. Earnest. The facility will include an inverted microscope system equipped with bright field, dark field and fluorescence optics. Funds are requested to purchase a Wallace Night Owl molecular imaging system with fluorescent light source, a computer, and a plate luminometer. The Night Owl system is will be used for many applications; it has the capabilities to simultaneously monitor multiple cultures in either flasks or 96-well plates. The luminometer will be applicable to luciferase reporter gene assays, calcium-sensitive dye assays, enzyme and metabolic assays and immunoassays.