Amnis ImageStream Analyzer

描述（由申请人提供）：细胞术的核心理解是，需要能够测量细胞和亚细胞结构的许多特征，以便了解细胞内蛋白质的功能，群体内的细胞亚型，以及随后宿主内的群体。这些信息使我们深入了解正常细胞功能中的复杂畸变，并为开始治疗和治愈疾病提供了途径。传统上，病理学家、免疫学家和细胞生物学家使用显微镜和流式细胞术等技术来阐明细胞结构和功能的信息。这两种技术各有优缺点，包括显微镜术明显缺乏高通量逐细胞荧光定量，流式细胞术无法提供荧光定位和形态信息。虽然这两种技术对于研究人员来说都是必不可少的，但一些专门的应用需要能够同时对每个细胞的荧光进行定量，并提供与细胞结构相关的荧光空间信息。来自芝加哥大学各个院系和学科的研究人员需要这种技术来加快目前由美国国立卫生研究院资助的研究项目，这些项目涉及基础癌症和免疫学研究、自身免疫性疾病、宿主防御、移植、哮喘和肺损伤。因此，芝加哥大学流式细胞仪中心正在申请Amnis ImageStream分析仪的资助，该分析仪能够提供单个细胞的高通量、高分辨率图像，同时提供关于荧光、形态和共定位的可靠的、统计上显著的定量信息。13个拥有NIH资助项目的主要用户将极大地依赖于ImageStream分析仪提供的专门技术。该仪器将被放置在备受尊敬的流式细胞术设施中，由非常有能力的技术人员进行管理。ImageStream作为核心设备，将平等地向大学所有部门的调查人员以及来自大芝加哥地区需要这项技术的人员开放，因为目前该地区没有能够提供这种独特类型数据的技术。Amnis ImageStream将通过提供最先进的技术使芝加哥大学受益匪浅，使我们的研究人员能够保持在他们研究领域的前沿。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cytometry, at its core understanding, requires the ability to measure many characteristics of cells and sub- cellular structures for the purpose of understanding the function of proteins within a cell, cell subtypes within a population, and subsequently that population within the host. This information leads to insight into complex aberrations in normal cell function and gives way to begin to treat and cure disease. Traditionally, Pathologists, Immunologists, and Cell Biologists used technologies like Microscopy and Flow Cytometry to elucidate information about cellular structure and function. Both technologies have strengths and weaknesses including Microscopy's apparent lack of high-throughput cell-by-cell fluorescence quantitation, and Flow Cytometry's inability to provide fluorescence localization and morphological information. Although both technologies are indispensible to the researcher's toolkit, some specialized applications require the ability to simultaneously quantitate fluorescence on a cell-by-cell basis as well as provide spatial information of the fluorescence in relation to cell structure. Researchers from a wide range of Departments and Disciplines at the University of Chicago require such technology in order to expedite current, NIH funded research projects involved in basic cancer and immunology research, autoimmune diseases, host defense, transplantation, asthma, and lung injury. Therefore, the University of Chicago Flow Cytometry Facility is requesting funding for the acquisition of an Amnis ImageStream analyzer, capable of providing high-throughput, high resolution images of individual cells while providing robust, statistically significant quantitative information regarding fluorescence, morphology, and co-localization. Thirteen major users with as many NIH funded projects will significantly depend on the specialized technology only available from the ImageStream Analyzer. The instrument will be placed in the highly respected Flow Cytometry Facility where it will be managed by extremely capable technical staff. As a core piece of equipment, the ImageStream will be equally accessible to Investigators within all Departments of the University as well as those in need of this technology from the greater Chicago-land Area, as there is currently no technology in the area capable of providing this unique type of data. The Amnis ImageStream will greatly benefit the University of Chicago by providing state-of-the-art technology, allowing our investigators to remain at the forefront of their field of research. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Thirteen NIH funded projects focusing on biomedical research areas such as basic cancer and immunology research, autoimmune diseases, host defense, transplantation, asthma, hematopoiesis, and lung injury will rely heavily on the unique functionality the ImageStream provides. State-of-the-art technologies employed on the requested instrument will help unveil the information necessary to answer these important Public Health questions.