Light microscopy and sample preparation
Our light microscopy capabilities provide a range of imaging solutions ideal for imaging biological samples, such as live or fixed cells and tissue sections. We provide support and advice spanning custom sample preparation (including sample preparation equipment, validated reagents and consumables) through to sophisticated 3D image data analysis.
Why use our light microscopy equipment?
- Light microscopy is used to visualise and analyse morphology, structure and molecular interactions in living cells as well as fixed tissue or inorganic substrates. It is commonly used in all disciplines of biological and biomedical research, including cancer research, neuroscience, immunology, microbiology, marine biology and plant science.
- Light microscopy is regularly used for simultaneous multiplex analyses of a variety of molecular species by virtue of combining detection of various colourimetric or fluorescent reagents across the visible to far-red spectrum. This enables inter-relationships of up to five different molecular species to be readily assessed in tandem within the same sample.
- Confocal microscopes facilitate fluorescence imaging with optical sectioning, thus removing unfocused light giving clearer images and enabling acquisition of 3D data sets. Sophisticated 3D image analysis software can provide detailed morphology and structural inter-relationship data.
- The lateral resolution of optical microscopy is no longer constrained to diffraction limits of ~200-250 nm. Our Zeiss LSM 880 Confocal Microscope with Fast Airyscan makes routine and live cell imaging with a lateral resolution to 120 nm simple to achieve and improves axial resolution 1.7x. Analysis of proximity between two different molecular species within 10-20 nm is also possible by techniques such as Fluorescence Ligation Proximity Assay and Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), thus many molecular interactions can be visualised in live cells in real-time. Analysis of diffusion, velocity and stoichiometry can also be quantified in live cell culture systems via a range of mathematical image data analyses.
Our light microscopy equipment
Zeiss LSM 880 Fast Airyscan Confocal Microscope
The Zeiss LSM880 Fast Airyscan laser scanning microscope is capable of near-super resolution imaging of commonly used fluorescence dyes on live cells—as well as fixed samples—without the need for special sample preparation techniques or software deconvolution. This inverted microscope is equipped with environmental control and auto-refocusing for short and long term live cell imaging and fast spectral data acquisition with on-the-fly spectral unmixing, enabling FRET and FRAP to be assessed in real-time and fluorophores/autofluorescence with overlapping emission spectra to be discerned. This instrument features 405, 548, 488, 514, 561 and 633 nm laser lines; very high sensitivity and signal to noise ratios; a range of dry, water-immersion and oil-immersion lenses and versatility of imaging speeds; a high speed CMOS camera; and PMT, GaASP and transmitted light detectors with DIC optics, set on an antivibration air-table. It will be available from mid-2019.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Leica SP5 Confocal Microscope
The Leica SP5 laser scanning confocal microscope features tunable emission range detection which can be adjusted to any bandwidth in the visible to near far-red spectra as well as Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) capability. It is equipped with 405, 458, 488, 496, 514, 561 and 633 nm lasers lines, five PMT detectors, a transmitted light detector with DIC optics, and two single photon sensitive filtercube-based detectors (avalanche photo-diode detectors) and a resonant scanner (8kHz) for high sensitivity or high speed scanning, respectively. This inverted microscope is equipped with a range of water, glycerol and oil immersion lenses and is suitable for fixed sample imaging and short term live cell imaging with temperature (but not CO2 or humidity) control. A variety of high-end techniques such as FRET-AB, FRET-SE, FRAP are made easier with software wizards.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Olympus FluoView1000 Confocal Microscope
The Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope is equipped with environmental control for short and long term live cell imaging as well as imaging of fixed samples. It features 405, 488, 561 and 633 nm laser lines, multiple PMT detectors and a range of dry and silicon-immersion objective lenses, and is capable of point scanning for FCS measurements as well as FRET and FRAP measurements.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Olympus VS200 Research Slide Scanner
The VS200 slide scanner is configured for automated imaging of up to 126 slides via fluorescence, brightfield, phase contrast, darkfield and/or polarization microscopy. Various high quality objectives (2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 40x oil), fluorescence filters (DAPI, FITC, TRITC, Cy5, Cy7, CFP, YFP, mCherry) and cameras (monochrome and colour CMOS cameras) can be employed. High performance Automated ‘count and measure’ and ‘deep learning’ software modules are available and separate data analysis and data storage PC workstations support the VS200 image acquisition system.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Cytation 5 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode Reader (BioTek)
The Cytation 5 combines automated fluorescence and brightfield microscopy and various microplate detection read-outs (fluorescence, luminescence, UV/Vis absorbance, fluorescence polarization and time resolved fluorescence). Imaging can be performed using various plates (including 96- and 384-well plates), slides (including various chamber slides), objectives (4x, 10x, 20x and 40x) and fluorescence filters (DAPI, GFP, TRITC and Cy5). The dual reagent injector module is also available for use in flash-type luminescence assays and other controlled reagent delivery into microplate wells. Environmental control (temperature and CO2) enables performance of long-term live cell imaging experiments.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Epifluorescence microscopes
We have a range of compound and inverted epifluorescence microscopes equipped for camera-based digital image acquisition of slide-mounted samples as well as live cell or organoid cultures in a variety of culture dish types. These are set up to image all common blue, green, red and far-red emitting fluorophores with negligible cross-excitation or emission bleed through. These epifluorescence microscopes enable inexpensive screening and imaging of samples with minimum training required.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Brightfield and stereo microscopes
We have brightfield compound and stereo microscopes equipped for full colour camera-based digital image acquisition, enabling inexpensive imaging of a variety of samples with minimum training required.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
Sample preparation
Comprehensive sample preparation expertise and equipment is available to cater for custom preparation of live cells as well as fresh, frozen and fixed tissue samples. We have embedding equipment and a range of microtomes, sledge microtomes, ultramicrotomes, vibratomes and cryostats available. We can also provide a range of reagents and consumables, including validated secondary antibodies (enzyme and fluorophore conjugates), routine and specialist colourimetric stains, slides, coverslips and coverglass-bottom chambers/dishes. Researchers can opt for sample preparation to be provided or to be trained to access our sample preparation facilities.
Training requirements
In person training to be completed with relevant staff.
Contact person
How to book your training
All users of our equipment must be trained by our staff. Before booking, please get in touch about your requirements and arrange a time to complete the relevant training. Once you are an authorised and trained user, you may go ahead and book the equipment using the links.
Contact us
Find out more about our team, the equipment and our industry services.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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