Spinning disk confocal system

神经病理学研究所、人类遗传学研究所和细胞生物学研究所共同申请了一台带有两个CMOS相机的旋转圆盘共聚焦显微镜和一台带有集成FRAP激光器的固态消融激光器。通过同时对两个通道进行成像，现代双相机系统允许以高分辨率对活细胞和生物体中的亚细胞结构和过程进行真实的时间分析。FRAP可以同时确定结构和过程的动力学。此外，显微镜允许将斑马鱼模型整合到RWTH的疾病机制分析中。消融激光将允许调节亚细胞结构，例如，将有可能确定调节细胞骨架或细胞延伸（如轴突）的结果。一个共焦显微镜，可以完成这些任务目前不存在于医学系或RWTH亚琛。计划研究的主要重点将是神经系统疾病，特别是周围神经和骨骼肌的遗传性疾病以及神经变性疾病。申请人在研究神经系统疾病和使用共聚焦显微镜方面有长期的经验。这些研究的结果为几个高影响力的出版物做出了贡献，其中一些是与有关机构合作完成的。对转盘共焦系统的投资是继续和扩展我们项目的必要条件。它还将允许IZKF联合研究项目“钠通道相关疼痛疾病”（人类遗传学等）和其他小组将时间和空间高度分辨率的现代荧光共聚焦成像与亚细胞结构的体内激光操作相结合。

The Institute of Neuropathology, the Institute of Human Genetics, and the Institute of Cell Biology jointly apply for a Spinning disk confocal microscope with two CMOS cameras and a solid state ablation laser with integrated FRAP-laser. By simultaneously imaging two channels, the modern dual camera system allows real time analysis of subcellular structures and processes in living cells and organisms with high resolution. The dynamics of structures and processes can simultaneously be determined by FRAP. Furthermore, the microscope with allow to integrate the zebrafish model in the analysis of disease mechanisms at the RWTH. The ablation laser will allow to modulate subcellular structures, for example it will be possible to determine the consequences of modulating cytoskeleton or cellular extensions like axons. A confocal microscope that can fulfill these tasks does currently not exist at the medical faculty or the RWTH Aachen. The main focus of the planned studies will be on neurological diseases, especially hereditary diseases of peripheral nerves and skeletal muscle as well as neurodegenerative disorders. The applicants have longstanding experience in studying neurological diseases and in using confocal microscopy. The results of these studies have contributed to several high impact publications, some of them in collaborations of the involved institutions. Investing in the Spinning disk confocal system is necessary to continue and extend our projects. It will also allow the IZKF-joint research project „sodium channel-associated pain disorders“ (Human Genetics and others) and other groups to combine temporally and spatially highly resolved modern fluorescent confocal imaging combined with in vivo-laser manipulation of subcellular structures.