Acquisition of a University Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope System

该提案要求提供资金以协助购买共焦激光扫描显微镜系统(CLSM)。庞大且迅速扩张的抗体和其他荧光探针电池为荧光显微镜的广泛应用开辟了道路。不幸的是，许多生物样本中出现的厚度和光散射严重影响了即使是最好的表观荧光图像的灵敏度、清晰度和分辨率。CLSM克服了这些限制，生成了非常清晰的图像。该仪器将满足怀俄明大学(UW)生物科学家的需求，他们的工作重点是细胞结构和细胞动力学、细胞器结构及其时空关系以及细胞和组织抗原的定位/功能。该提案是由一个主要用户组提交的，该用户组代表了威斯康星州大学的四个系：植物学、分子生物学、心理学和动物学与生理学。该系统将向所有有合法需求的威斯康星大学研究人员开放，并将作为真正的大学仪器中心运行。收购这一最先进的仪器和建立CLSM中心将为研究人员提供在细胞/分子生物学和神经科学领域保持竞争力的机会，促进研究合作，并为本科生和研究生提供培训。CLSM系统最初将用于支持下列项目：菠萝科染色体研究(G.Brown，植物学)，蛙素样肽在神经生理学中的作用(F.Flynn，心理学)，共聚焦激光显微镜在纤毛虫原生动物核现象研究中的应用(R.Jenkins，动物学)，探索植物与真菌的相互作用：外生菌根真菌与植物根的联系的形式和生理学(S.Miller，植物学)，热对发育的影响：使用共聚焦显微镜跟踪肌动蛋白纤维的组装和热休克后整合素的定位(N.Petersen，分子生物学)，共聚焦显微镜在行为神经内分泌学研究中的应用(J.Rose，心理学)，共聚焦显微镜在DNA从线粒体逃逸到细胞核中的研究(P.Thorsness，分子生物学)，激光共聚焦显微镜在叶结构功能研究中的应用：表皮晶状体细胞在光合作用中起作用吗？(T.Vogelmann，植物学)。此外，CLSM系统将作为四个系内以实验室为基础的课程的教学工具，以及用于密切监督的研究生和本科生研究。该项目的总成本为253,710美元，怀俄明大学承诺匹配其中的49%。NSF表格1358(1/94)3

This proposal requests funds to assist in the purchase of a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope System (CLSM). The enormous and rapidly expanding battery of antibodies and of other fluorescent probes has opened the way to a greatly expanded use of fluorescent microscopy. Unfortunately, the thickness and light scattering occurring in many biological specimens seriously compromises the sensitivity, clarity and resolution of even the best epi-fluorescent images. CLSM overcomes these limitations and produces images of great clarity. This instrumentation will serve the needs of biological scientists at the University of Wyoming (UW) whose work focuses on cell architecture and cellular dynamics, organelle structures and their spatial and temporal relationships and the localizations/functions of cell and tissue antigens. The proposal is submitted by a major user group representing four UW departments: Botany, Molecular Biology, Psychology, and Zoology and Physiology. The system will be available to all UW researchers who have legitimate needs and will operate as a bona fide University instrumentation center. The acquisition of this state-of-the-art instrumentation and the establishment of a CLSM center will offer investigators the opportunity to remain competitive in cell/molecular biology and neuroscience, foster research collaborations and provide training for both undergraduate and graduate students. The CLSM system will initially be used in support of the following projects: Chromosomal Studies in Bromeliaceae (G. Brown, Botany), The Role of Bombesin-like Peptides in Neural Physiology (F. Flynn, Psychology), Applications of Confocal Laser Microscopy to Research on Nuclear Phenomena in Ciliate Protozoa (R. Jenkins, Zoology), Probing Plant-Fungal Interactions: The Form and Physiology of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Linkages with Plant Roots (S. Miller, Botany), Effects of Heat on Development: Use of the Confocal Microscope to Follow Assembly of Actin Fibers and Localizati on of Integrins Following Heat Shock (N. Petersen, Molecular Biology), Applications of Confocal Microscopy to Research in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (J. Rose, Psychology), Confocal Microscopy in Studies of DNA Escape from Mitochondria to the Nucleus (P. Thorsness, Molecular Biology), Laser Confocal Microscopy in Studies of Leaf Structure Function: Do Epidermal Lens Cells Play a Role in Photosynthesis? (T. Vogelmann, Botany). In addition, the CLSM system will be used as a teaching tool within laboratory based courses within the four departments as well as for closely supervised graduate and undergraduate research. The total project cost is $253,710 of which the University of Wyoming has pledged a 49% match. NSF FORM 1358 (1/94) 3