Acquisition of Instrumentation for Image Analysis in Biology

该项目建议购置图像分析仪器和倒置显微镜，为三个研究小组提供快速准确分析各种生物和组织参数的技术能力。所需仪器为配备Optronics摄像机的Leica Quantimet Q-500 MC图像分析系统和Olympus IX-70倒置显微镜。 建议的项目涉及教师的研究和研究培训主要是本科生。研究经验被广泛用作我们部门的教学工具。计划的研究活动包括研究植物中的程序性细胞死亡和细胞周期控制，研究鱼类的肌肉细胞发育和培养，以及分析Anostracans（仙女虾）的摄食行为和运动。这些项目的活动包括从光学和电子显微镜数据进行大量测量，分析蛋白质定位工作中的标记密度、位置和/或强度，以及评估生物体三维形态与运动相关的特征。目前所需的一些测量可以手工进行，其他分析没有计算机能力是不可能的。获取具有存档功能的图像分析系统和倒置显微镜将使我们能够快速准确地获得和分析这些研究所需的数据。

This project proposes acquisition of instrumentation for image analysis and an inverted microscope to provide three research teams with the technological capability to rapidly and accurately analyze various organismal and tissue parameters. The instruments requested are the Leica Quantimet Q-500MC Image Analysis system with an Optronics Video Camera, and an Olympus IX-70 inverted microscope. The projects proposed involve both faculty research and research training primarily of undergraduates. The research experience is widely used as a teaching tool in our department. The research activities planned include a study of programmed cell death and cell cycle control in plants, study of muscle cell development and culture in fish, and a analysis of feeding behavior and movement in anostracans (fairy shrimp). Activities of these projects involve making large numbers of measurements from light and electron microscope data, analyzing labeling density, position and/or intensity in protein localization work, and assessing characteristics of organisms' three-dimensional morphology as it relates to movement. Currently some of the measurements required may be made by hand, other analyses are impossible without the computer capability. Acquisition of the image analysis system with archiving capability and the inverted microscope will enable us to rapidly and accurately obtain and analyze the data these studies require.