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

这项申请要求为立体显微镜系统提供资金，以操纵和可视化来自不同脊椎动物物种(鱼、青蛙)的胚胎的外观、行为和发育。申请者代表了一群职业生涯中期至高级的研究人员，他们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。作为细胞与发育生物学家，Daniel和Wilson博士主要需要立体显微镜和摄像系统来操纵和监测鱼类和青蛙胚胎的发育，并确定正在生长的胚胎中的细胞如何整合各种信号来引发特定的反应，从而产生具有特定功能的组织和器官或对各种药物治疗做出反应。所要求的立体显微镜系统配置为满足我们对符合人体工程学的高分辨率数字成像和图像存档系统的不同需求，以提高我们的研究生产率和数据重复性。立体显微镜系统将主要用于胚胎显微注射和对发育中的胚胎进行筛选，并在放大情况下拍摄胚胎的视频。由于我们正在分析非无菌水生物种(鱼和青蛙)，而目前实验存在瓶颈，我们需要一种专用的立体显微镜系统，该系统独立于麦克马斯特生物系现有的立体显微镜系统。用于哺乳动物组织培养。总体而言，我们实验室中至少有12名HQP将利用这一基础设施并从中受益。

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.