Core Facilities

Morphology Core Facility

The Morphology Core Facility provides instrumentation and technical expertise for the preparation, acquisition and analysis of images of cells and tissues at both the light and electron microscopic level. Given the cost of such instrumentation and the high level of technical expertise required to perform these investigational techniques, this Core was established to ensure the availability of these techniques for Center members. In recognition of the broad usefulness of this Core facility, the School of Medicine has partnered with the Liver Center by making ongoing, major investments to ensure that the facility remains state-of-the-art.

The Core has two confocal microscopes, plus a combined confocal and two-photon microscope (see below). Both of our conventional confocal microscopes are Zeiss LSM 510 laser scanning microscopes. Both have three fluorescence detection channels, and one also has a meta-detector. The Core maintains four epifluorescence microscopes, a fluorescence dissecting microscope, and two spectrometers for fluorescence measurements in cell populations. Two-photon microscopy: This component consists of a Zeiss LSM 510 NLO combined confocal and two-photon microscope, plus a SpectraPhysics MaiTai titanium: sapphire laser for two-photon excitation. An Electron microscopic facility includes a Tecnai 12 Biotwin and a Phillips 410 electron microscope. Routine transmitted electron microscopy techniques are available by request. The Core maintains three microscopes for video microscopy, two of which also are used for epifluorescence work for imaging single cells. The facility also co-sponsors a short course on confocal microscopy which is offered periodically for interested users. Interested investigators should contact Dr. Michael Nathanson or Mr. Al Mennone (x5-7312) for access to the confocal microscope, EM or other light microscopic equipment.