UCLA BRAIN RESEARCH INSTITUTE MICROSCOPY CORE FACILITIES

WELCOME! This is the homepage of the UCLA Brain Research Institute's Core Imaging Facilities.  It  has been set up to give you some background in microscopy and help you to make the most of your use of the core facilities and the resources in equipment, services and personnel available to assist members of the Brain Research Institute and the UCLA biomedical community as a whole in the area of microscopic imaging.  We have provided  information about the equipment and services available in  the core imaging facilities and the recharge schedule. We also wish to provide you with some practical information about instrumentation and  microscopic theory and techniques so that you might have a basis for the use of microscopes in the core facilities as well as in your own laboratories.

At this time, the Webpage consists mostly of basic theory for implementation and use of the light microscope.  As time goes on and when we have the time, we will be adding more information to this Webpage with regard to microscopic techniques and preparation and electron microscopy.  We have included links to other microscopy websites and other sites which we think may have useful information for users of the Facility.  We would like to provide links to other UCLA webpages which include microscopic imaging.   Much more information is available on the World Wide Web and if you have any questions about microscopy on the Web as well as suggestions for this webpage, please contact the Webmaster.

THE CAROL MOSS SPIVAK CELL IMAGING FACILITY

The Carol Moss Spivak Cell Imaging Facility is a service of the UCLA Brain Research Institute for the implementation of biological confocal and 2-photon laser-scanning microscopy and some associated technologies. The Facility has a  new Leica TCS SP MP Inverted Confocal and 2-Photon Laser-Scanning Microscope, a new Leica TCS SP MP Fixed-Stage Upright Confocal and 2-Photon Laser-Scanning Microscope and a Carl Zeiss LSM 310 laser-scanning confocal microscope, PC and Macintosh computers for image processing and a dye sublimation printer and a film graphics recorder for confocal data output.  Some basic equipment is available for physiological experiments involving confocal and 2-photon scanning.   These include an Axon Instruments Axopatch 200B Patch Amplifier, a Burleigh micromanipulator, and a Hammamatsu video camera for IR-DIC imaging.

THE MICROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES LABORATORY

The Microscopic Techniques Laboratory is a service for the preparation of microscopic specimens and instruction in microscopic specimen preparation techniques.  Histological procedures available include some immunocytochemistry staining, special stains, paraffin sectioning, slide preparation for in situ  hybridization, cryostat sectioning, plastic embedding and sectioning.  The Laboratory also has staining setups, a cryostat, several microtomes, and a Nikon photomicroscope.

THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE LABORATORY

The Electron Microscope Laboratory is set up to perform transmission electron microscopy for its users as well as assist in the preparation of specimens for the electron microscope including fixation, embedding and microtomy of tissues and other biological materials.  The Laboratory houses two transmission electron microscopes, a JEOL 100CX and a Carl Zeiss 10C.

List of Services and Charges for the BRI Microscopy Core Facilities

    1. Confocal and 2-Photon Laser Scanning Microscopy
    2. Microscopic Techniques
    3. Electron Microscope Laboratory

The Basics of Light Microscopy

    1. Objective Lenses
    2. Numerical Aperture and Resolution
    3. Airy Disk Formation

Transmitted Light Microscopy

    1. Köhler Illumination
    2. Phase Microscopy
    3. Dark Field Microscopy

Fluorescence Microscopy

    1. Fluorescence Specimen Preparation
    2. Care of the Mercury Arc Lamp

Confocal Microscopy

    1. Digital Imaging
    2. Lasers
    3. Confocal Image of the Month

2-Photon Laser-Scanning Microscopy 

Photomicrography

Last updated January 19, 2007.
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