Microscopy Tools for developmental and behavioural studies in vertebrate (Xenopus & Zebrafish) model organisms.

该申请要求资助一个立体显微镜系统，以操纵和可视化不同脊椎动物物种（鱼，青蛙）胚胎的外观，行为和发育。申请人代表了一群在细胞和发育生物学，动物生理学和水生毒理学方面具有专业知识的职业中期到高级研究人员。作为细胞和发育生物学家，丹尼尔和威尔逊博士主要需要一个立体显微镜和摄像系统来操纵和监测鱼类和青蛙胚胎发育，并确定生长胚胎内的细胞如何整合各种信号，以引起特定的反应，从而产生具有特定功能的组织和器官，或对各种药物治疗作出反应。所要求的体视显微镜系统的配置适合我们对人体工程学、高分辨率数字成像和图像存档系统的各种需求，以提高我们的研究生产力和数据再现性。立体显微镜系统将主要用于胚胎显微注射和发育中胚胎的筛查，并在放大条件下拍摄胚胎视频。由于我们正在分析非无菌水生物种（鱼和青蛙），目前存在实验瓶颈，因此我们需要一个专用的立体显微镜系统，该系统与麦克马斯特生物学系目前可用的立体显微镜系统分开并不同。用于哺乳动物的组织培养。我们实验室的至少12名HQP将共同利用并受益于此基础设施的收购。

This application requests funding for a stereomicroscopy system to manipulate and visualize the appearance, behaviours, and development of embryos from diverse vertebrate species (fish, frogs). The applicants represent a group of mid-career to senior investigators with expertise in cell & developmental biology, animal physiology and aquatic toxicology. As Cell & Developmental Biologists, Drs. Daniel & Wilson primarily require a stereomicroscope and camera system to manipulate and monitor fish and frog embryo development, and to determine how cells within the growing embryo integrate various signals to elicit the specific responses that will produce tissues and organs with specific functions or react to various pharmacologic treatments. The requested stereomicroscopy system is configured to suit our diverse needs for an ergonomic, high-resolution digital imaging, and image archiving system to enhance our research productivity and data reproducibility. The stereomicroscopy system will be used primarily for embryo microinjections and screening of developing embryos, and to take videos of embryos under magnification. Since we are analyzing non-sterile aquatic species (fish & frogs) and there is currently a bottleneck for experimentation, we need a dedicated, stereomicroscopy system that is separate and distinct from currently available stereomicroscopy systems in the McMaster Biology Dept. that are used for mammalian tissue culture. Collectively a minimum of 12 HQP from our labs will utilize and benefit from the acquisition of this infrastructure.