Confocal microscopy

Overview

Our confocal microscopy area consists of five different confocal microscopes with the aim to cover as many techniques as possible. All microscopes are in temperature controlled rooms with technical help always nearby. The labs are well equipped and available to both internal and external users. Confocal room 1 (B/K035) also has live-cell imaging equipment which includes an in-room incubator for overnight housing of cells, stage incubator system for full climate control on stage which includes a perfusion option. Micromanipulators are also readily available for the addition of solutions e.g. chemical, protein, DNA or RNA.

Optical sectioning

This is used extensively for many sample types, including live cell studies, tissue sections and morphological studies of other substrates, with or without the aid of fluorophores. It enables colocalisation with multiple fluorescent probes and advanced techniques such as FRET, FRAP and Spectral Unmixing.

Equipment

 ‌Confocal 1 - Zeiss LSM 880 with Airyscan on an Axio Observer.Z1 invert (B/K035)

  • Airyscan detector for high resolution imaging
  • fully automated microscope
  • 4 independent lasers, 6 laser lines including (405, 458, 488, 514, 561, and 633 nm) 
  • Spectral head for spectral imaging - allowing the easy differentiation of very similar fluorescence dyes and fluorescence from autofluorescence
  • an array of lenses ranging from 100 x oil down to 10 x air to suit most needs
  • stage adapted for use with Incubator S system for live cell imaging
  • ZEN 2.1 software

 

Confocal microscope

 Zeiss LSM 880 invert

Confocal 2 - Zeiss LSM 780 multiphoton on an Axio Observer.Z1 invert (B/K029)

  • fully automated microscope
  • Coherent Chameleon pulsed Ti:Sa IR Laser (range 690-1040nm)
  • 4 independent lasers, 6 laser lines including (405, 458, 488, 514, 561 and 633 nm)
  • 4 external non-descanned detectors (NDD) for increased sensitivity at greater depth
  • Spectral head for spectral imaging - allowing the easy differentiation of very similar fluorescence dyes and fluorescence from autofluorescence
  • Objective lenses ranging from 10x air through to 63x oil as well as 40x/1.1 and 63x/1.2 water immersion and 20x/1.0 and 40x/0.8 water dipping objectives ideal for deep tissue imaging
  • Solent light tight incubation chamber with full temperature and CO2 control
  • ZEN 2010 software

 Multiphoton

 Zeiss LSM 780 multiphoton

 

Confocal 3 - Zeiss LSM 710 on an AxioImager.M2 (B/K034)

  • fully automated upright microscope
  • 5 independent lasers, 7 laser lines including (405, 458, 488, 514, 561, 594 and 633 nm) 
  • Spectral head for spectral imaging - allowing the easy differentiation of very similar fluorescence dyes and fluorescence from autofluorescence
  • an array of lenses ranging from 100 x oil down to 10 x air to suit most needs
  • stage adapted for use with Incubator S system for live cell imaging
  • ZEN 2011 software

 

 Zeiss LSM710 upright confocal microscope

Zeiss LSM 710 Upright

Confocal 4 - Zeiss LSM 510 meta on an Axiovert 200M (B/K037)

  • fully automated microscope
  • 3 independent lasers, 6 laser lines including (458, 477, 488, 514, 543 and 633 nm)
  • Spectral head for spectral imaging - allowing the easy differentiation of very similar fluorescence dyes and fluorescence from autofluorescence
  • an array of lenses ranging from 100 x oil down to 10 x air to suit most needs
  • stage adapted for use with Incubator S system for live cell imaging
  • LSM510 and ZEN 2009 software

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Confocal microscope system 1

Zeiss LSM 510 meta invert

Confocal microscope system 2

Zeiss on-stage incubation system

Confocal 5 - Andor Revolution XD spinning disk on an Axiovert 200M (B/K035)

  • fully automated microscope
  • 4 independent lasers including 405, 488, 561 and 640 nm
  • Tu-Cam system for simultaneous 2 colour acquisition
  • 2 Andor iXon DU-885 EMCCD cameras and 1 Andor iXon DU-897 EMCCD camera
  • Solent incubation chamber with full temperature and CO2 control
  • Andor IQ software

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Spinning Disk

Andor Revolution XD

Lasers

InstrumentLasers
Confocal 1 - Zeiss LSM 880 invert (B/K035) 405, 458, 488, 514, 561 and 633 nm
Confocal 2 - Zeiss LSM 780 multiphoton invert (B/K029) 405, 458, 488, 514, 561 and 633 nm, Ti:Sa IR Laser 690-1040nm
Confocal 3 - Zeiss LSM 710 meta upright (B/K034) 405, 458, 488, 514, 561, 594 and 633 nm
Confocal 4 - Zeiss LSM 510 meta invert (B/K034) 458, 477, 488, 514, 543 and 633 nm
Confocal 5 - Andor Revolution XD spinning disk invert (B/K035) 405, 488, 561 and 640 nm

Image Analysis

We have several software packages for image analysis. These include Zeiss VisArt, physiological and deconvolution software and PerkinElmer Volocity. For more information, please contact us.