Microscopy and Imaging- Resources

The BRI Microscopy and Imaging Facility features four distinct workstations, including a very advanced automated video capture system capable of long-term live cell experiments in controlled conditions. Software automations can be programmed to accomplish not only multi S field/multi-wavelenght acquisitions, but also complex post-capture measurements and image processing. The Facility also possesses one of the very few Quixell cell cloning devices in Canada. The Microscopy lab is conveniently located right next to the Flow Cytometry Facility for efficient coordination of imaging and cell profiling/sorting tasks. Here is a brief description of the workstations:

Fully automated video microscopy system
This workstation offers automated time-lapse image acquisition in Phase or Nomarski Contrast plus 5 different channels of fluorescence.

The automated video microscopy workstation

Main features

• high-quality inverted research microscope (Leica DMIRB)
• sterile HEPA cabinet
• controlled temperature and pH (Bioptechs chamber)
• 12-bit monochrome cooled CCD camera (Qimaging Retiga EXi)
• motorized high-accuracy stage for multi-field time -lapse capture
• motorized focus drive for z-axis stack capture
• motorized filter wheels; FRET filter sets; green, red, blue, cyan and yellow filters
• powerful software with Automator Pro (Improvision Openlab)
• Macintosh G5 dual processor computer with 2.5 G ram and 360 G hard disk
• perfusion mode

Immunofluorescence slide system
This workstation (under development) is optimized for multi-fluorochrome fixed cell imaging.

Main features

• research-grade upright microscope (Leica Orthoplan)
• 100-watt transmitted light; 100-watt mercury arc lamp
• 26 mm oculars for extra wide field of view
• high-performance oil-immersion objectives up to 100x
• 12-bit cooled CCD camera (Roper Sensys)
• computer and software

General-purpose photomicrography system
This workstation is optimized for user-friendly "self-serve" capture of high-quality images of cells in culture vessels.

Main features

• inverted fluorescence microscope with 100-watt mercury arc illumination
• latest 12-bit 1600x1200 pixel monochrome cooled camera (Retiga 2000R)
• Openlab capture, treatment and measurement software
• Networked to other workstations and BRI server

Quixell-FP cell cloning workstation
This specialized, unique workstation allows one-step semi-automated isolation of cells based on morphology, fluorescence markers or at random (Caron et al. (2000) Methods in Cell Science 22: 137-145).

The Quixell-FP cell cloning workstation

Main features

• visualize and pick one labeled cell in > 10, 000
• virtually 100% sure single cell isolation in one step to cluster dish
• motorized stage with joystick control
• programmable control unit with single-touch cell transfer
• color 3CCD camera (Optronics DEI 750)
• monitoring on RGB color screen
• sterile HEPA cabinet
• auxiliary computer for image capture