Light Microscopy
The BRCF Microscopy Core houses a wide range of light microscopes and imaging systems in the following three locations: BSRB A830, MSII 5631, and NCRC B20 57S. These instruments support a variety of imaging modalities, as described below. Please contact us during the planning stage of your project to help you select the most appropriate methodology for your research needs.
Instruments Located in BSRB:
LEICA SP8
LSM MP SR
- A high sensitivity, inverted, point-scanning confocal and multiphoton system, suitable for fixed and live samples.
- Equipped with a resonant scanner for fast image acquisition.
- Capable of Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM).
- Single 594 nm depletion line for Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopy (STED) in XY only.
- Lasers available for imaging:
- 405nm diode laser.
- Argon laser with 5 excitation lines (458nm, 476nm, 488nm, 496nm, 514nm).
- White light laser tunable from 470nm-670 nm.
- Ti: Sapphire pulsed IR laser (100 fsec, 80 MHz). Tunable from 670nm-1080nm.
LEICA SP5
LSM MP
- A high sensitivity, upright, point-scanning confocal and multiphoton system, equipped with a large stage and dipping lenses. Suitable for live animal imaging, whole-mount samples, and slides.
- Equipped with a resonant scanner for fast image acquisition.
- Lasers available for imaging:
- 405nm Diode laser.
- Argon Laser with 5 excitation lines (458nm, 476nm, 488nm, 496nm, 514nm)
- 561nm diode laser
- 633nm HeNe laser
- Ti: Sapphire pulsed IR laser (100 fsec, 80 MHz). Tunable from 670nm-1080nm
LEICA STELLARIS
LSM
- A high sensitivity, inverted, point-scanning confocal system, suitable for fixed and live samples.
- Equipped with a resonant scanner for fast image acquisition.
- Uses Navigator software for easy stitching, tiling, and overview imaging.
- TauSensing tools, including TauContrast, TauGating and TauSeparation are available. These tools use the differences in fluorescence lifetimes to separate closely overlapping fluorophores and suppress nonspecific background fluorescence.
- 405nm diode laser.
- 445nm diode laser.
- White light laser tunable from 470nm-680 nm.
ZEISS LIGHT SHEET 7
LS
- Gaussian light sheet instrument, ideal for imaging larger format samples including organoids, zebrafish, embryos, and cleared murine organs.
- Dry and immersion objectives corrected for RI = 1.33 – 1.58; 2X, 5X and 20X objectives.
- 6 available laser lines: 405nm, 445nm, 488nm, 515nm, 561nm and 647nm.
- Incubation for live timelapse imaging.
Zeiss LSM 980 Airyscan 2
LSM SR
- A high sensitivity inverted point scanning confocal microscope equipped with an Airyscan detector capable of super resolution imaging of fixed and live samples.
- Equipped with a spectral detector for confocal imaging of fluorophores with highly overlapping spectra.
- Incubation for timelapse imaging.
- Available laser lines:
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- Confocal: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 639nm, and 730nm
- Airyscan: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 639nm
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NIKON A1 HIGH SENSITIVITY CONFOCAL
LSM
- An inverted point scanning confocal with two standard PMT detectors and two GaAsP detectors.
- Ideal for slides and other fixed sample formats. Basic live cell imaging is possible.
- 4 available laser lines: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 647nm
NIKON A1 STANDARD SENSITIVITY CONFOCAL
LSM
- An inverted point scanning confocal with standard PMT detectors.
- Ideal for slides and other fixed sample formats. Basic live cell imaging is possible.
- 4 available laser lines: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 647nm
Nikon Ti2 Widefield Microscope
WF
- Inverted widefield microscope supporting the following modalities: brightfield, fluorescence, DIC, phase contrast.
- Eight fluorescence channels for blue, cyan, green, yellow, orange, red, far-red and near IR fluorophores.
- Fully motorized to facilitate a variety of experiments including large image stitching.
- NIS Elements software including JOBS, HCA and GA3 modules for advanced acquisition protocols and some analyses in real time.
- Incubation for live timelapse imaging.
Instruments Located in MSII:
NIKON X1 YOKOGAWA SPINNING DISK CONFOCAL
SDC TIRF WF
- An inverted spinning disk confocal system, ideal for fast, gentle imaging of live samples such as cells in culture and small organoids and organisms. Speeds of 30 fps possible.
- Digital mirror device for photo-activation or optogenetics using a 395nm or 470nm LED.
- Through objective TIRF illumination available. Monochrome camera for TIRF and widefield imaging.
- 4 available laser lines for confocal (3 for TIRF): (405nm), 488nm, 561nm and 647nm.
NIKON N-SIM + A1R
LSM SR WF
- An inverted microscope equipped with a point-scanning confocal and a 2D / 3D structured illumination (SIM) system.
- Equipped with a resonant scanner for fast confocal image acquisition.
- Timelapse widefield live-cell imaging is also supported.
- 6 available laser lines for confocal (4 for SIM): 405nm, (445nm), 488nm, (514nm), 561nm and 647nm.
ZEISS LATTICE LIGHT SHEET 7
LS
- Fast and gentle volumetric imaging with minimal photobleaching and phototoxicity.
- Ideal for long-term imaging of dynamic subcellular processes in living cells. Not recommended for samples greater than 50um thick.
- 40X objective; 3 laser lines: 488nm, 561nm, and 633nm
Instruments Located in NCRC:
NIKON A1SI CONFOCAL
LSM
- An inverted point scanning confocal, suitable for live and fixed samples.
- Includes a spectral detector for imaging dyes with highly overlapping emission profiles.
- 4 available laser lines: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 647nm.