LASER SCANNING CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE

Univ Of Med/Dent Nj-R W Johnson Med Sch, Piscataway NJ

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal to request NCRR funds for purchase of a laser scanning confocal microscope system to support multi-disciplinary funded research at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The number of investigators interested in the use of fluorescent microscopy has greatly increased in recent years, and the, method has emerged as one of the most direct ways for monitoring intracellular signals (calcium, pH and membrane potential), protein trafficking and localization, and cell differentiation and apoptosis. A group of l0 funded faculty from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), Cancer Institute of New Jersey CINJ), Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM) are identified as major initial users. The instrument will be established as a shared resource on the campus of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School located at Piscataway. The school will provide $75,000 toward purchase of the system, and will support service contract costs and 50% of the facility manager's salary. In addition to start-up support, the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is committed to long term support to the Cell Imaging Core Facility through the New Jersey Commission on Education and Technology Support Grant. The microscope system consists of a Zeiss LSM 510-META imaging system with an argon laser providing 58 and 488 nm lines, HeNe lasers providing 543 and 633 nm lines, a UV laser, 3 PMT and 1 META detector, a vibration isolation table, and an Axiovert 200M inverted fluorescence microscope with DIC and high resolution oil and water immersion optics. The system will be used for tracking of living cells, to analyze the movement| and subcellular distribution of signaling molecules or proteins that have been labeled with fluorescent probes, and to obtain high sensitivity and wide dynamic range images among three to four fluorophores.