The Cell and Molecular Imaging (CMI) Facility is a shared component of the Center for Cell Death, Injury and Regeneration (CCDIR) and the NCI-designated Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) whose purpose is to provide CCDIR/HCC investigators and other researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) with equipment and expertise for laser scanning confocal/multiphoton microscopy and related high-end optical imaging techniques. The only access of our investigators to combined confocal/mulitphoton microscopy is an 8+ year old Zeiss 510 NLO META microscope that is deficient in important functionalities that are essential for high performance confocal/multiphoton and intravital (in vivo) imaging, including spectral detection, long working distance water immersion optics and maximally sensitive descanned and nondescanned detection. Accordingly, the overall goal of this application is to upgrade the Zeiss 510 NLO microscope to an optimally configured and fully functional confocal/multiphoton microscope system to be made available to CCDIR, HCC and MUSC investigators. We propose to upgrade this system to a Zeiss 780 confocal/multiphoton inverted laser scanning microscope with maximally sensitive 3-channel non-descanned GaAsP detectors, a GaAsP-based 34-channel spectral array detector, 6 visible laser lines for confocal imaging, high performance long working distance intravital water-immersion optics and Zen software. Cost savings will be achieved by using microscope objectives, multiphoton laser, vibration isolation table and environmental chamber from the old microscope, whose remaining components will be traded in. The upgraded microscope system will be placed in a multiuser environment that provides technical support, user training and applications expertise in support of individual user projects.
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