Acquisition of a Videomicroscopy Image Processing System

该提案涉及为一群神经生物学家和细胞生物学家购买视频显微镜和图像分析系统，他们的工作重点是神经元发育和细胞黏附和运动。选择将获得的组成部分以不同的灵活组合一起发挥作用，以满足个别研究项目的不同需要。这些能力包括：1)使用相位对比、DIC或荧光染色对活细胞的生长和可塑性进行微光观察和延时分析，2)使用Fura-2荧光比率图像法(包括在伪彩色图像中表示)在活神经元和生长锥体中进行钙标记，3)重新组合存在于多于一个部分(在分段材料中)或光学焦点平面(在整个底座上)中的对象的图像，并生成整个3-D结构的单一清晰图像，4)在不同波长获得的双(或三重)荧光染色图像的叠加，为了更好地比较细胞结构中免疫染色的共局部化，5)背景斑点的对比度增强和减影以允许实时DIC视频图像，6)提供大容量存储，检索和打印图像并制作用于示范和研讨会的短时延时录像带。

The proposal involves the acquisition of a videomicroscopy and image analysis system for a group of neurobiolgists and cell biologists whose work focuses on neuronal development and cell adhesion and motility. The components to be acquired were chosen to function together in different flexible combinations to serve the varied needs of the individual research projects. The capabilities include: 1) low light level observation and time lapse analysis of growth and plasticity of living cells using phase contrast, DIC or fluorescent staining, 2) calcium mapping in live neurons and growth cones using the fura-2 fluorescence ratio image method including representation in pseudo color images, 3) recombining of images of objects present in more than one section (in sectioned material) or optical plane of focus (in whole mounts) and generating single clear images of entire 3-D structures, 4) superimposition of images of double (or triple) fluorescent staining, obtained at different wavelengths, in order to better compare the colocalization of immunostaining in cellular structures, 5) contrast enhancement and subtraction of background mottle to permit DIC-video images in real-time, 6) provisions for mass storage, retrieval and printing of the images and the production of short time-lapse videotapes for demonstrations and seminars.