Deconvolution microscopy provides superior spatial resolution (especially at high magnification) that is ideal for co-localizing multiple fluorescent probes in fixed and living cells in three dimensions. A wide-field deconvolution microscopy facility will be established at Ohio State University. The system will be configured around a Zeiss Axiophot 2 microscope with motorized stage, a high-resolution cooled CCD camera, and integrated software for image acquisition and deconvolution. Current core users will focus on the cell and developmental biology of plant, neurobiological and fungal material. Specific projects include: (1) the molecular functions of genes controlling cell proliferation, terminal differentiation, and axonal outgrowth in the Drosophila nervous systems, (2) the cell biology and regulation of plant vesicular trafficking and cytokinesis, (3) the functions and localization of g-tubulin in Arabidopsis and Aspergillus, (4) genes and mechanisms controlling stomatal patterning and development in Arabidopsis, (5) the molecular genetic regulation of axonal outgrowth in zebrafish, (6) functional interactions between plant nuclear matrix proteins, and (7) the differential spatial regulation of protein and mRNA localization within mouse Purkinje cells. Deconvolution imaging is highly likely to advance the understanding of the function and localization of specific proteins in several model systems. This facility will enhance interactions between cell and developmental biologists in the College of Biological Sciences, the Plant Biotechnology Center and the Neurobiotechnology Center. It will also contribute substantively to the training of post-doctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students.
