High performance imaging and image analysis unit

我们系的研究人员依靠单个倒置的荧光显微镜对哺乳动物细胞进行固定和活的细胞成像。这台显微镜用途广泛，目前配备了一台2002年购买的行间CCD摄像机。由于我们对荧光显微镜的需求已经转向对单个细胞中的弱光、单个粒子的成像，这种相机不再合适。与行间CCD摄像机相比，所要求的芯片更大、像素更小、读取噪声更低，从而可以获得更大的视场，具有高分辨率、低背景和宽动态范围。这台相机将被结合到荧光显微镜上，后者已经配备了显微注射和环境控制，用于成像活的哺乳动物细胞。由于我们将能够用sCMOS相机以更高的灵敏度获得更好质量的图像，我们还要求使用高性能分析成像软件Imaris。该软件具有从图像或电影中提取和分析定量信息、执行3D粒子跟踪、体绘制和共焦研究的能力。高性能sCMOS相机和Imaris分析图像处理软件具有很强的互补性，将在我们的研究项目中产生相当大的协同效应。

Researchers in our department rely on a single inverted epifluorescence microscope for fixed and live cell imaging of mammalian cells. This microscope is heavily used and is currently equipped with an interline CCD camera, purchased in 2002. As our needs for fluorescence microscopy has moved toward the imaging of low light, single particles in individual cells, this camera is no longer appropriate. The requested sCMOS camera has a larger chip with small pixels and lower read noise compared to the interline CCD camera, which allows the acquisition of larger field of view with high resolution, low background and wide dynamic range. This camera will be combined to the epifluorescence microscope, which is already equipped for microinjection and environmental control for imaging live mammalian cells. As we will be able to acquire images of better quality at higher sensitivity with the sCMOS camera, we also request the high performance analytical imaging software Imaris. This software has the capability to extract and analyze quantitative information from images or movies, perform particle tracking in 3D, volume rendering and colocalization studies. Both high performance sCMOS camera and Imaris analytical image processing software are highly complementary and will generate considerable synergy in our research programs.