Solamere QLC100 Nipkow Spinning Disk Confocal Unit

描述(申请人提供)：此共享仪器赠款申请申请资金购买Solamere QLC100快速平面共聚焦成像显微镜。需要资金来更换6年前田纳西大学健康科学中心(UTHSC)基金购买的Noran Oz激光扫描共聚焦显微镜。目前，UTHSC的Noran Oz不断需要维修，不再由原始制造商提供服务，维修成本高昂，旧Noran零部件供应减少。快速平面成像能力的丧失威胁到了UTHSC目前由NIH资助的几个项目，以及未来研究发现的潜力。一个由7名NIH资助的研究人员组成的小组将是所要求的仪器的主要用户。这些研究人员有NIH资助的项目，需要使用快速平面共聚焦成像。所要求的仪器将用于在活细胞中以高空间分辨率测量细胞内荧光的快速变化。申请组将对平滑肌细胞、星形胶质细胞、神经元和哺乳动物表达系统中的局部和全局细胞内钙(Ca~(2+))瞬变进行成像，并研究细胞内信号分子和受体的运动和重新定位。局部和全球细胞内钙瞬变和细胞蛋白质转移可以在毫秒内和短距离内发生。为了研究和理解这些信号通路的生理功能，申请者小组需要一种能够获取高空间分辨率和毫秒时间分辨率的荧光平面图像的仪器。Solamere QLC100以每秒60帧的速度采集512x512图像，这是这些研究的主要要求。很少有其他商业显微镜可以提供这种快速成像能力，但那些可以提供这种能力的显微镜比Solamere仪器贵得多。孟菲斯地区可用的共焦显微镜，除了UTHSC有故障的Oz系统外，每秒只能采集一张图像，这不足以对申请者群体进行研究。将鼓励小用户按使用付费的方式使用设备，以扩大这项技术在整个孟菲斯地区的可获得性。我们估计Solamere QLC100每周将使用大约60个小时。关联性。申请者小组研究的快速细胞信号通路的病理变化会导致从高血压、中风和呼吸损伤到阿尔茨海默氏症、酗酒和癌症等一系列疾病。所要求的仪器将为UTHSC调查人员提供继续调查和了解快速细胞信号通路的能力，快速细胞信号通路的变化会导致严重的发病率和死亡率。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This shared instrumentation grant application requests funds to purchase a Solamere QLC100 rapid planar confocal imaging microscope. Funds are requested to replace a Noran Oz laser-scanning confocal microscope that was purchased by University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) funds 6 years ago. Currently, the Noran Oz at the UTHSC is in constant need of repair, is no longer serviced by the original manufacturer, and is serviced at high cost with a dwindling, finite supply of old Noran parts. The loss of rapid planar imaging capabilities threatens several currently NIH-funded projects at the UTHSC and the potential for future research discoveries. A group of 7 NIH-funded researchers will be the major users of the requested instrumentation. These investigators have NIH-funded projects that require the use of rapid planar confocal imaging. The requested instrument will be used to measure rapid changes in intracellular fluorescence at high spatial resolution in living cells. The applicant group will image local and global intracellular calcium (Ca2+) transients in smooth muscle cells, astrocytes, neurons and mammalian expression systems and study the intracellular movement and relocalization of signaling molecules and receptors within cells. Local and global intracellular Ca2+ transients and cellular protein translocation can occur within milliseconds and over short distances. In order to study and understand physiological functions of these signaling pathways, the applicant group requires an instrument with the ability to acquire fluorescent planar images with high spatial resolution and millisecond temporal resolution. The Solamere QLC100 acquires 512x512 images at a rate of 60 frames per second, a major requirement for these studies. Few other commercially available microscopes can provide this rapid imaging capability, but those that can are far more expensive than the Solamere instrument. Confocal microscopes available in the Memphis area, other than the faulty Oz system at UTHSC, can only acquire one image per second, which is inadequate for studies of the applicant group. Minor users will be encouraged to use the equipment on a fee- for-use basis to broaden the availability of this technique throughout the Memphis area. We estimate that the Solamere QLC100 will be used for approximately 60 hours per week. Relevance. Pathological alterations in rapid cellular signaling pathways that are studied by the applicant group lead to diseases ranging from hypertension, stroke and respiratory damage, to Alzheimer's disease, alcohol abuse and cancer. The requested instrumentation will provide UTHSC investigators with the continued capability to investigate and understand rapid cellular signaling pathways, alterations in which cause severe morbidity and mortality.