CMIC Facilities and Instruments

The CMIC serves as a portal for DERC investigators to have access to facilities for histochemistry, microscopy, cytometry, and imaging workstations. Tissue processing facilities include:

Histological tissue preparation. The CMIC tissue processing facilities include a lab of 450 sq. ft. with paraffin tissue processing equipment, including an automated tissue processor and paraffin embedding station. Another lab has 250 sq. ft. for cryostat tissue preparation.
Histochemical laboratory. A third lab has 650 sq. ft. with hoods, freezers, deli cabinets, and bench space for workstations for in situ hybridization, immunocytochemistry, and laser capture microdissection.
Laser capture microdissection. The CMIC has an Arcturus Autopix Laser Capture Microdissection Microscope system (LCM). This instrument allows the investigator to perform fluorescence microscopy in a room with lights on, and picks cells that have been labeled with fluorescent markers (e.g., GFP, antibodies, neuronal tracers) for subsequent DNA and RNA analysis by PCR.

For more information about microscopes and digital imaging instruments available through the CMIC, visit the ImageCore website. Instruments available include:

Confocal Microscopy. The core offers confocal imaging on both inverted and upright Leica microscopes with a Leica SP1 confocal scanhead. This system has three lasers (argon, krypton, helium) for simultaneous imaging of 3 flurophores as well as sequential scanning. Technical assistance is provided at no extra charge to investigators.
Microscope Digital Imaging. The CMIC has access to microscopes equipped for brightfield, DIC and epifluorescent imaging. These include three Nikon microscopes: Nikon Eclipse E-800, Nikon Microphot-FXA, and Nikon Optiphot-2. The microscopes are equipped with Eclipse, QImaging Retiga 1300i or Roper Coolsnap digital cameras. Each microscope is connected to a core network via a dedicated image acquisition computer running Media Cybernetics' Image Pro Express. In addition, the core offers a Nikon Coolscope for an automated acquisition of microscopic brightfield specimens.
Gel Digital Imaging. The core provides access to a Biorad ChemiDoc XRS system, allowing investigators to image western blots, nucleic acid detection, 2-D gel electrophoresis, dot blotting, densitometry, and colony counting.
Radiology Digital Imaging. The core provides a large format Epson 836XL high resolution document scanner for the digital imaging of radiography films. Coupled with ImagePro Plus, we offer a high resolution, quick and quantitative means of analyzing films.
Flow Cytometry. The core provides access to a Becton Dickinson FACS Calibur cytometer with the optional cell-sorter apparatus. The system has the capability to image 4-colors using one of the four on-board lasers. We offer personalized assistance services by our BD-trained personnel, and train users in the operation of the instruments.
Image Analysis Workstations. For post-processing of images and quantitative analysis, the core offers access to two Dell and a Macintosh networked image analysis workstations. The PC's are primarily designed for image processing, running Media Cybernteics' Image Pro Plus, BioRad's Quantity One, ImageJ and Adobe Photoshop CS2. The Mac analysis workstation is designed for publication preparation and image processing, running the full Adobe Creative Suite CS2, Microsoft Office 2004, and ImageJ. For high quality publication prints, the core has a Fuji Pictography 4000 dye-sublimation printer.