ZEISS LSM 510 CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE SYSTEM

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This application requests funds to purchase a laser scanning confocal microscope or a group of 17 NIH-funded investigators from several departments at the University of Michigan. The system consists of a Zeiss LSM 510 UV/Visible Confocal Microscope System. The user group is presently sharing its confocal microscopy time on a Bio-Rad MRC-600, with a total of 69 laboratories having used that microscope over the past 12 months. In addition to lack of sufficient access, members of the user group are severely hampered by technical requirements that cannot be met by the existing instrument. Among the needed capabilities are multispectral/brightfield imaging, UV capability, and real-time imaging of living cells. For essentially all of the investigators, 3-D image reconstruction capabilities, a motorized stage and better resolution are important needed features. The Zeiss system was chosen because of its superior UV capabilities and several other technical advantages that are available for little more money than the Bio-Rad MRC 1024, our second choice. Members of the user group have had direct experience with the Zeiss LSM 510 confocal microscope in other institutional settings, and there is no question about its being able to serve our technical needs. In addition, it is a user-friendly instrument with a good maintenance record. The confocal system will be housed within the Cell Biology Laboratories (CBL), a professionally managed University-wide biomedical microscopy core, which is located in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology in the Medical School. It is anticipated that members of the user group will be using the new microscope over 90 percent of the time, but provisions have been made for non-group members to have access to the instrument, should free time be available. Policy for the microscope will be determined by an internal advisory committee, and day-by-day maintenance and technical supervision and instruction will be carried out by members of the CBL staff. Ongoing maintenance will be covered through a standard recharge system that is used in the CBL, and long-term continuity is supported by a designated reserve fund for the CBL.