Microplate reader for fluorescence & luminescence

NSERC资助的四个生物化学和环境毒理学研究项目需要一个荧光和发光微板阅读器，其目的是了解：(1)细胞和分子对不同应激(氧化应激、农药)的响应；(2)重金属镉对成骨细胞增殖、迁移、分化和信号转导以及成骨细胞凋亡和骨形成机制的影响；(3)环境污染物(农用农药)损害动物组织和哺乳动物细胞代谢功能的机制；(4)抗氧化剂铜蓝蛋白在神经细胞和心肌细胞中的作用及其一氧化氮相关活性的研究。这些项目都需要对小样本的细胞和组织进行荧光和发光分析。设备是应2名高级调查人员(D.Averill-Bates，J.Paquin)和2名初级研究人员(R.Moreau，M.Boely)的要求提供的。Microboard Reader配备了灵活的激发和发射波长选择，允许进行动力学和终点测量，以及在任何选定波长下进行激发和发射扫描。它配备了上下探头读取选项、温度控制、计算机和用于数据处理的软件包。还可以检测到发光和荧光共振能量转移(FRET)。该设备对于利用选择性荧光底物，对参与细胞凋亡信号传递的不同蛋白水解酶(半胱氨酸天冬氨酸氨基转移酶、钙蛋白酶、溶酶体酶)的动力学分析以及细胞色素P450同工酶的诱导至关重要。其他应用包括酶联免疫吸附试验(白蛋白和胰岛素分泌)，以及敏感地检测在遗传毒性应激期间增殖、钙、脂肪和蛋白质氧化以及一氧化氮的变化。对我们的工作感兴趣的发光应用包括测量细胞的ATP、cAMP、cGMP，以及神经元和骨分化的表型标记的表达。这种设备对于加拿大和国际四个NSERC资助的研究人员的实验室中的高质量、有竞争力的研究和研究生培训是必不可少的。

A Microplate Reader for Fluoresence and Luminescence is requested for four NSERC-funded research programs in Biochemistry and Environmental Toxicology, which aim to understand: (1) the cellular and molecular responses to different stresses (oxidative stress, pesticides); (2) the impact of heavy metal cadmium on mechanisms involved in the proliferation, migration, differentiation and signal transduction, as well as apoptosis of osteoblastic cells, and bone formation; (3) mechanisms by which environmental pollutants (agricultural pesticides) impair metabolic function in animals tissues and mammalian cells; and (4) the action of the antioxidant ceruloplasmin in neuronal cells and cardiomyocytes, as well as investigation of its nitric oxide-related activities. These projects all require analyses of fluorescence and luminescence in small sample volumes of cells and tissues. The equipment is requested by 2 senior investigators (D. Averill-Bates, J. Paquin) and 2 junior researchers (R. Moreau, M. Boily). The Microplate Reader comes with flexible wavelength selection for excitation and emission that allows kinetics and endpoint measurements, and excitation and emission scans at any selected wavelength. It is equipped with top- and bottom-probe reading options, temperature control, computer and software package for data processing. Luminescence and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) can also be detected. This equipment is essential for kinetics analysis of different proteases (caspases, calpains, lysosomal enzymes) involved in apoptotic signalling, and induction of cytochrome P450 isoenzymes, using selective fluorescent substrates. Other applications include ELISA assays (albumin and insulin secretion), and sensitive detection of changes in proliferation, calcium, lipid and protein oxidation and nitric oxide, during genotoxic stress. Luminescence applications of interest to our work include measurement of cellular ATP, cAMP, cGMP, and expression of phenotypic markers of neuronal and bone differentiation. This equipment is indispensable for high quality, competitive research and graduate student training in laboratories of 4 NSERC-funded investigators, at the Canadian and international levels.