A Confocal Microscope for Research and Teaching in Biology and Neuroscience

Wesleyan University, Middletown CT

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Naegele NSF 0070352 A Confocal Microscope for Research and Teaching in Biology and Neuroscience A Zeiss 510 Confocal Microscope will be used for research and training in developmental biology and neuroscience at Wesleyan University. This new confocal microscope will enable the three primary faculty users and members of their research laboratories to study the dynamic movements of cells and proteins in living embryos and to identify intercellular junctions between cells in thick sections of brain tissue. In addition, training on the confocal microscope will be an important component of a Biology department graduate-level course in advanced microscopy, including confocal, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. The confocal microscope facility is part of an Advanced Instrumentation Facility in the Science Center at Wesleyan University. This facility already contains scanning and transmission electron microscopes, an adjacent wet laboratory, a room for tissue sectioning, and a computer room with associated digital scanners and other image processing equipment. The projects to be carried out by major users of this confocal microscope, Drs. Devoto, Kirn, and Naegele, and members of their laboratories, each focus on vertebrate development. The Devoto laboratory will focus on the genetic and molecular guidance cues used by migrating muscle cells in living zebrafish embryos. The Kirn laboratory will address the mechanisms of neuronal replacement and neurogenesis in the brains of adult birds. The Naegele laboratory will study cellular and molecular signals regulating programmed cell death and engulfment of dying neurons in the rodent cerebral cortex and visual system. Occasional use of the confocal is also planned by five additional faculty in the Biology and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Departments who study a variety of biological problems ranging from the role of transcription factors in embryo development to the cell cycle regulation in yeast. Additional minor use by one extramural group Pfizer, Inc. is planned for 2 days/month. Funds from this extramural group will be a significant source of revenue for long-term maintenance of the confocal, including service contracts. We anticipate that this confocal microscope and the associated research programs will have a significant impact on research and training at Wesleyan University in the fields of developmental biology and neurobiology. The objective of our science training programs at Wesleyan University is to provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists. This hands-on training is of fundamental importance for careers in scientific research, technology, and education. Special initiatives at Wesleyan University advance women and minorities in science, as well as providing access for students with disabilities. It is anticipated that the new confocal microscope will contribute significantly to a basic understanding of how cells in the developing embryo migrate, form connections, and how some undergo programmed cell death as part of their normal developmental plan. These studies will ultimately lead to a better understanding of how the vertebrate brain and body are constructed during development and maintained throughout the life of the organism.