Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscope (TIRF)

细胞膜将细胞与环境隔开，并允许细胞内不同细胞过程的区隔。对生物膜的详细了解需要分析活细胞和孤立分子系统中分子和过程在明确的孵育条件下的定位和动力学，并具有高时间分辨率。与常规显微镜相比，全内反射荧光显微镜结合在一起可以提供质膜附近、膜制剂和固定化膜蛋白上荧光标记分子的高对比度图像。同时检测多种荧光可以对膜过程进行详细的表征，这是波鸿鲁尔大学目前的显微镜设备所不能实现的。该显微镜的实施将有助于促进科学交流，增加参与研究项目的数量，促进第三方资金的获取。

Cellular membranes separate cells from the environment and allow for compartmentalization of different cellular processes inside cells. A detailed understanding of biological membranes requires analysis of the localization and dynamics of molecules and processes in a live cell and on isolated molecular systems under well-defined incubation conditions with high time resolution. Compared to conventional microscopy, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in combination provides higher-contrast images of fluorophore-labelled molecules near the plasma membrane, on membrane preparations and on immobilized membrane proteins. Simultaneous detection of multiple fluorescences allows for a detailed characterization of membrane processes, which is not achievable with the current microscope setups at the Ruhr University Bochum. Implementation of this microscope will be instrumental to stimulate the scientific exchange, to increase the number of joined research projects and to improve acquisition of third-party funds.