The purpose of the Microscopy, Imaging and Cytometry Resources (MICR) Core is to enhance the peer reviewed funded research activities of KCI members whose research requires confocal microscopy cytometry, or small animal imaging related techniques. Capabilities and services include: confocal microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, high resolution conventional light microscopy, FRET and FRAP, in vivo small animal imaging (including MR, PET and optical imaging), flow cytometry, complete animal and cellular histology services (including cytochemistry, histochemistry, immunocytochemistry immunohistochemistry) and ratiometric analyses (e.g., intracellular pH and ion measurement studies), as well as three and four dimensional image reconstruction and quantitative measurements. Our advanced imaging systems consist of a Zeiss LSM 310 confocal microscope equipped with four laser lines, the newly acquired PerkinElmer UltraView ERS spinning disk confocal microscope equipped with three laser lines, a Zeiss LSM 510 META NLO confocal microscope with eight laser lines and multiphoton imaging capability, the newly acquired Leica TCS SPS MP equipped with nine laser lines and multiphoton capability. Our flow cytometry systems include LSR II, FACSCanto, FACSCalibur and FACScan flow cytometers as well as the FACSDiVa cell sorter. The facility also provides conventional fluorescent microscopy through a Zeiss Axiophot Triple-Camera Photomicroscope, a Zeiss live cell imaging microscope with the state-of-the-art Apotome module capable of four dimensional imaging (3D in time). In vivo small animal imaging is a newly acquired combination of technologies made available to the core through the addition of a Kodak IS4000MM small animal optical/X-Ray imager, Bruker 4.7T and 11.7T small animal MR imagers and a Concord MicroPET small animal PET scanner. The analytical systems of the MICR include five Apple and PC workstations with various analytical software and photographic quality printers as well as the MIP (Molecular Imaging Portal), a UNIX based central server with 45 tb storage capacity and a 74 tb robotic tape backup system as well as a dedicated applications server hosting the advance image analysis software, Matlab? and Definiens?, with five licenses each allowing up to five users access to each software simultaneously. Since the last review in 2004, there has been a substantial investment in the core for new equipment and upgrades at a cost exceeding $2,800,000. All of the funding was from sources other than the CCSG.
MICR is a service oriented support facility that provides advanced imaging and cytometry research instrumentation, technologies and expertise to a number of KCI members'peer reviewed research projects that are directly related to human health at all levels of basic science, translational and clinical research areas.
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