Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal with Fast AiryScan Technology
In 2016, the facility received a major extension with the addition of a new multi-functional; state-of-the art Carl Zeiss LSM 880 confocal microscope equipped with Fast Airyscan technology, funded through the Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation. This expands the capabilities of the Confocal Facility to allow for near super-resolution, real-time live cell and tissue imaging and a multitude of quantitative imaging and analysis techniques.
Features of the LSM 880 with the Fast Airyscan technology:
The LSM880 Airyscan with Fast Airyscan technology, has two multi alkali + 32 GaAsP spectral R/FL detection channels, 5 laser lines 405, 458, 488, 514, 561 and 633nm, with real time control electronics, a Xenon 120 UV lamp for Epifluorescence and ZEN software. The following objectives are available:
- Plan-Apochromat 10x/0.3
- Plan-Neofluar 20x/0.50
- C-Apochromat 40x/1.2 W Corr, UV-VIS-IR Selected for FCS
- C Plan-Apochromat 63x/1.4 Oil,UV-VIS-IR
The following other features are:
- A Z- Piezo scanning stage with the smallest step size of 5nm for scanning and Z stacking.
- An incubator that is temperature and gas controlled for live cell imaging.
- Two photon imaging using a Mai Tai infrared pulsed laser for deep imaging and live cells.
- A Zeiss monochrome CCD camera is available for widefield imaging of samples.
- Fast Airyscan technology to image up to 27 frames per second at 480 × 480 pixels with highest image quality reaching 140nm resolution.
Applications:
The latest ZEN software offers a variety of application modules e.g. FRET, FRAP, and modules for Multi Channel, Time Lapse, Z Stack, Extended focus, Autofocus, Colocalisation and Spectral unmixing imaging.
In addition it also has the ZEN Module FCS, Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for GaAsP detectors and APD, single molecule analyses FCS, spectral FCS and FCCS. Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) data can be acquired and analysed. From this data, information about particle mobility, concentration, and interaction can be measured at a single molecule level.
Zeiss Elyra S1 Super-resolution Microscope
In 2017 the new super-resolution, ELYRA S1 microscope arrived and is installed in WBS 1.12 in the BSL 3 Laboratory in the IDM. With ELYRA S.1 and super-resolution structured illumination (SR-SIM) you reveal fine structural details while remaining free to label your samples with conventional dyes.
What makes our Elyra S1 unique is that it is installed in a BSL 3 facility and will allow scientists to image both fixed and live pathogens at super-resolution level.
Access to the BSL3 Lab is restricted and users need to comply with access requirements, e.g. chest X-ray and medical clearance.
Features of the Elyra S1 Super-resolution microscope:
The Elyra S1 has 4 laser lines (405nm, 488nm, 561nm and 640nm), control electronics and ZEN 2.3 software with the SIM module for Structured Illumination Microscopy.
The following objectives and other features are present:
- EC Plan-Newfluar 10X/0.30 WD+5.2 ; Plan-Apochromat 63X/1.4 Oil DIC; C-Apochromat 63X/1.2W corr objectives
- Piezo scanning stage
- Incubator and heating stage insert for live cell imaging (soon to be installed)
- A pco.edge sCMOS camera
- HXP 120 V UV lamp
- Filter set 77HE GFP+mRFP+Alexa633
Zeiss Inverted Fluorescence Microscope
The Zeiss Axiovert 200M is a sophisticated inverted motorised fluorescence microscope with phase contrast, 10x, 20x, 40x dry and 100x oil immersion objectives. The following filter blocks are available e.g. Dapi, Alexa 488, Cy3, GFP and Cy5. It is also equipped with a monochrome Zeiss AxioCam HRm and AxioVision 4.8 software.
Zeiss Upright Fluorescence Microscope
The Zeiss Axioskop M upright motorised fluorescence microscope with 5x, 10x, 20x, 40x dry and 100x oil immersion objectives. Three incident light filters are available for blue, green and red emission. The microscope is equipped with a colour AxioCam HRc and AxioVision 4.7 supporting software. This microscope is the property of the Division of Medical Biochemistry.
Zeiss website: www.zeiss.com