URI GSC - About us

IMAGING

Fee for ALL imaging services for internal and RI-EPSCOR users = $7.50 / hr.
Internal Users:
- Use the GSC as the vendor (PeopleSoft Vendor ID = URI_GSC).
- For a one-time use, please provide a College Requisition as payment for service.
- For multiple uses, please provide an Internal Purchase Order as payment for services. This Internal PO should state "Blanket Requirements: start date - end date" in the description and should cover the number of hours that you anticipate using during the time period.

The GSC's two imaging systems utilize a ZEISS Axioplan 2 light microscope that is equipped for transmitted light microscopy with brightfield, phase-contrast, and differential-interference contrast methods. The Axioplan 2 is also set up for epifluorescence microscopy using a mercury bulb with filter sets for DAPI (UV), FITC, Acridine Orange, and Rhodamine excitation.

ZEISS Axioplan 2 Objective Specifications

Objective	Magnification/Numerical Aperture	Working Distance(mm)	Phase Contrast	Differential Interference Contrast
Plan Neofluar	5x /0.15	13.6	no	no
Plan Neofluar	10x /0.3	5.6	no	no
Plan Neofluar	20x / 0.5	2.0	Ph 2	yes
Plan Neofluar	40x / 0.75	0.4	Ph 2	yes
Achroplan	40x / 0.8 water	3.6	no	yes
Plan Apochromat	63x / 1.4 oil	0.19	no	yes
Plan Neofluar	100x / 1.3 oil	0.20	Ph 3	yes

1. ZEISS AxioVision/AxioCam imaging System.

This imaging system uses a ZEISS AxioCam high-resolution color digital camera that is attached to the trinocular head of the ZEISS Axioplan 2 light microscope. The AxioCam camera has a CCD chip with 1300 x 1030 pixel resolution in B&W mode, and can scan up to 3900 x 3090 pixel resolution in RGB color mode. This camera is capable of acquiring 16 bit color images or they can be scaled down to 8 bit format for smaller file sizes. Images are acquired using the ZEISS AxioVision v4.5 software through which many microscope functions can be controlled.

ZEISS AxioVision v4.5 features:

Control Carl Zeiss microscopes and components interactively
Acquire high-resolution images with up to 16 bit (monochrome) and 3x16 bit (color)
Adjust display parameters without manipulation of pixel intensity values
Assign annotations and geometric scalings to acquired images instantly
Store microscope and camera settings as meta information directly in the ZVI image
Save images in compressed ZVI file format
Specific interface configurations for Windows multi-user environment
Image import: lsm, bmp, tif, jpg, j2k, jp2, gif, tga, png, cal, mac, msp, ras, pct, eps, wmf, psd, img, cmp
Software assistant for converting and editing images (brightness, contrast, gamma, smooth/sharpen, noise reduction, background subtraction, shading correction, white balance)
Image export (bmp, jpg, j2k, tif, tga, png, psd, img, cmp
Safe ZVI Z-Stack or Time Lapse sequences as movies: AVI, MOV
Assign frequent image annotations like comments, arrows, boxes, circles or scale bars
Measure intensity profiles like length, area, perimeter, circle or angle interactively
Count and mark events on images
View multidimensional images in every dimension (channels, time points, Z-slices) comfortably with the gallery view
Compare images in splitter display mode synchronous or independent
Generate meaningful reports containing images, data tables and graphs
Editor to create customized report layouts
Print images in standard magnification
Align z-stack images taken with stereo microscopes.
Process data tables with powerful functions: Concatenate and append tables, filter tables, create Pivot tables, transpose and calculate statistical values

Additional information on this imaging software can be found in the following pdf file:
AxioVision Brochure

2. ZEISS LSM 5 PASCAL Scanning Confocal Imaging System.

The LSM 5 PASCAL confocal laser scanning module is another component of the Zeiss Axioplan 2 light microscope. This enhanced imaging capability provides true confocal or laser scanning technology for the examination of cells and tissues that are labeled with one or more fluorescent probes. Confocal imaging permits greater resolution of thick specimens and localization of organelles and gene expression labeled by very specific fluorescent probes.

The PASCAL is equipped with two lasers: a 25 mW Argon laser with 458, 488, & 514 nm excitation and a 5 mW Helium/Neon laser with 543 nm excitation. The scan module utilizes two independent galvo scanning mirrors to obtain large scan fields and high resolution images up to 2,048 x 2,048 pixels. This module also has two confocal channels and one transmitted light channel, all with highly sensitive photomultiplier detectors. All moving components of the scan module, such as emission filter wheels, main and secondary dichroic beam splitters, the pinhole and mechanical attenuators for each laser line, are computer controlled. Other features include flexible scan strategies for 3D and time series imaging, continuously adjustable pinhole for optimum Z resolution, precisely controllable laser intensities to protect specimens, and multifluorescence imaging without cross talk between channels.

All users of the Zeiss LSM 5 PASCAL confocal microscope must read and comply with the GSC Laser Safety Policy before using this instrument. To reserve time to the use one of the ZEISS imaging systems, please use the GSC Calendar. If you have any questions or problems, call the GSC manager at 874-5919.