Laser-scanning confocal microscope adaptation for multi-user

该提案要求为配件提供资金，以便改造现有设备，建立一个多用户激光扫描共聚焦显微镜平台，用于分析模式生物的发育。联合申请人实验室研究与细胞和组织在发育过程中如何响应信号的过程有关的广泛的基本问题，应用范围从细胞极性的建立研究，到神经，视网膜和肌肉发育以及神经管缺陷的遗传控制，再到调节代谢的系统生物学方法。这些研究项目的统一主题是使用模式生物，这些模式生物适合于在完整的活动物的背景下在亚细胞水平上研究蛋白质，以及这些蛋白质的变化对表达它们的组织的动态结构的影响。这些研究所需的关键设备是一台激光扫描共聚焦显微镜，它能够对较厚的标本进行成像并进行延时研究;这是该大学目前所没有的能力。共同申请人之一正在向小组提供基本显微镜。 我们正在申请资金，用于附件，以实现这一能力，大大提高更广泛的研究应用的灵活性，并促进多用户图像采集，处理和存储。 这些配件包括高分辨率数码相机、工作距离长的显微镜物镜、允许使用更广泛荧光标记的滤光片以及具有数据存储和数据安全功能的计算机工作站。 通过改造现有设备，我们可以以通常成本的一小部分实现这一目标。

This proposal requests funding for accessories that will allow the adaptation of existing equipment to create a multi-user laser scanning confocal microscope platform for the analysis of model organism development. The combined applicant laboratories study a broad range of fundamental questions relating to the processes of how cells and tissues respond to signals during development, with applications extending from the study of the establishment of cell polarity, to neural, retinal and muscle development and genetic control of neural tube defects, to systems biology approaches to the regulation of metabolism. The unifying theme of these research programs is the use of model organisms, which are amenable to the study of proteins at subcellular levels within the context of the intact, living animal, and the resulting effect of changes in these proteins on the dynamic structure of the tissues in which they are expressed. The key piece of equipment necessary for these studies is a laser-scanning confocal microscope with the capability to both image thicker specimens and to do time-lapse studies; a capability that is not currently available at the University. The basic microscope is being provided to the group by one of the co-applicants. We are requesting funds for accessories to allow this capability, to greatly increase the flexibility for a larger variety of research applications, and to facilitate multi-user image acquisition, processing and storage. These accessories include a high resolution digital camera, microscope objectives with a long working-distance, optical filters allowing the use of a wider set of fluorescent markers and a computer workstation with data storage and data security capabilities. By modifying existing equipment, we can achieve this goal at a fraction of the usual cost.