Confocal Microscopes
LCN optical microscopes
If you are interested in using the LCN optical microscopes, please contact Guillaume Charras (g.charras ucl.ac.uk).
Microscopes available for internal/external use:
- Leica confocal laser scanning microscope. Upright microscope with 488, 568, and 647 nm laser lines.
- Olympus confocal laser scanning microscope. Inverted microscope with 405, 458, 488, 515, 568, 647 nm laser lines. DIC. Time lapse imaging. FRAP/ Photoactivation capabilities. Environmental chamber for long term imaging. Possibility of combined AFM studies.
- Spinning disk confocal microscope. Olympus inverted microscope with 405, 488, 568, and 647 nm laser lines. DIC and phase. Time lapse imaging. FRAP/photoactivation. Microinjection. Environmental chamber for long term imaging. High sensitivity Andor camera.
- Long term imaging phase/fluorescence Nikon inverted microscope. Fluorescence filter sets for 405, 488, 568 nm excitation. Environmental control (temperature and CO2) for long term time lapse imaging.
- Olympus inverted phase/fluorescence microscopes. Fluorescence filter sets for 405, 488, 568, 647 nm excitation. Combined AFM capability.
Training and access
Independent access will be granted to users after a half-day formal training and a half-day hands-on training. This is to ensure that users are properly trained for independent usage.
After this, the user will be granted keycard access and usage of the microscopes. During the first month, users will be encouraged to use the microscope during hours when the microscopy staff is present.
Additional training will be necessary for special applications such as FRAP, or long term imaging.
Offline analysis
Offline analysis rendering capabilities are available in the LCN and the analysis computer can be booked online.
Technical assistance
Technical assistance will be available for sample preparation for immunostaining , transfection, or time lapse imaging on a fee for training basis.
Figure 1: Blebbing cell
Live cell expressing PH-PLCd-mRFP (in red) and Myosin regulatory light chain GFP (in green). Myosin localises under the bleb membrane in distinct foci and drives bleb retraction.
Image acquired on our spinning disk confocal microscope (microscope #3 in the above descriptions) by Guillaume Charras.
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Figure 2: MDCK cyst
Fixed 14 day old MDCK cyst grown on matrigel. The cyst was stained for F-actin (in red), beta-catenin (in green), and nucleic acids (in blue).
Image acquired on our Olympus laser scanning microscope (microscope #2 in the above descriptions) by Guillaume Charras.
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Figure 3: Primary rat osteoblast.
The cell was fixed and stained for F-actin (in blue), tubulin (in red), and vimentin (in green).
Image acquired on the Leica scanning laser microscope (microscope #1) by Guillaume Charras.
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Figure 4: Migrating Neutrophils.
Neutrophils fixed while migrating through microfluidic channels. The cells were stained for F-actin (in red) and tubulin (in green).
Image acquired on the spinning disk confocal microscope (microscope #3) by Guillaume Charras.
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