Leica SP5 confocal microscope for Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research Imaging C

说明（由申请人提供）：本申请用于购买徕卡TCS-SP5光谱共聚焦显微镜。该仪器将被安置在美国国立卫生研究院资助的匹兹堡肾脏研究中心的尿路上皮成像核心内。核心的功能是提供尿路的定性和定量图像分析，包括排列在肾脏肾元和膀胱粘膜表面的特殊上皮细胞。该核心服务于匹兹堡大学和其他机构的一大批NIH资助的研究人员。共聚焦显微镜是核心提供的重要成像工具，对核心研究人员的研究至关重要。核心目前容纳了一个bb70年的徕卡TCS-SL系统，难以检测低强度信号，无法同时捕获两个以上的荧光通道，一个低输出（1mw）的红色He-Ne激光器，激光线范围有限，软件功能有限，系统架构无法更新。所要求的仪器将：1)提供无滤光片/二色性的光路，当与冷却的数字pmt相结合时，可以检测微弱信号；2)提供4路同时检测；3)扩展我们可用的激发波长，包括405nm， 458nm, 476nm, 488nm, 496nm, 514nm， 561nm和633nm的激光线；4)提供新的软件模式，允许用户轻松执行FRAP， FRET和反卷积；5)随着新技术的出现，为升级和扩展显微镜的功能提供了一条简单的途径。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This request is for funds to purchase a Leica TCS-SP5 spectral confocal microscope. This instrument will be housed within the Urinary Tract Epithelial Imaging Core of the NIH-funded P30 Pittsburgh Center for Kidney Research at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The function of the core is to provide qualitative and quantitative image analysis of the urinary tract, including the specialized epithelial cells that line the nephron of the kidney and mucosal surface of the bladder. The core serves a large group of NIH- funded investigators at the University of Pittsburgh and at other institutions. Confocal microscopy is an essential imaging tool provided by the core and is crucial to the research preformed by core investigators. The core currently houses a > 7-year old Leica TCS-SL system with difficulty detecting low intensity signals, inability to capture more than two channels of fluorescence at one time, a red He-Ne laser with low output (1 mW), a restricted range of laser lines, limited software capabilities, and a system architecture that cannot be updated. The requested instrument will: 1) provide a light path with no filters/dichroics, which when coupled with cooled digital PMTs can detect weak signals; 2) provide 4 channels of simultaneous detection; 3) extend our available excitation wavelengths to include laser lines at 405nm, 458 nm, 476 nm, 488 nm, 496 nm, 514 nm, 561 nm, and 633 nm; 4) provide new software modalities that allow users to easily perform FRAP, FRET, and deconvolution; 5) provide an easy path to upgrade and expand the capabilities of the microscope as new technologies become available.