Morphology and Imaging Core

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT - MORPHOLOGY AND IMAGING CORE The Morphology and Imaging Core provides access to expert personnel and specialized equipment for investigating the anatomy and cell biology of both fixed and live tissues. This Core enhances the research environment by facilitating the research activities of investigators who use anatomical and imaging techniques. Because of the technical expertise provided, this Core enables other investigators to add anatomical and imaging techniques to their repertoire of research tools. This Core is housed in a dedicated suite of rooms totaling 921 sq. ft. Access and training are provided for instrumentation used in 1) processing ocular tissue for light and confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization, and 2) capturing and processing images from live or fixed tissues. Equipment available in this Core includes two cryostats, a paraffin processing and embedding station and paraffin microtome, an ultramicrotome for ultra-thin sectioning for electron microscopy, two research-grade epifluorescence microscopes, a Leica TCS SP5 confocal microscope, a newly installed Leica Stellaris 8 Confocal Microscopy System and a Leica laser microdissection microscope. In addition, there are computer workstations dedicated to image analysis that run a stand-alone version of Leica AF, plus MetaMorph, Imaris and other imaging software packages. The Morphology and Imaging Core is staffed by a full-time technician, Mr. Brad Nelson, who processes and sections fixed tissues, assists users with experimental methods, trains users on the epifluorescence microscopes and the microscopes’ imaging software. Another key function of the technician is to maintain the Core’s equipment. A second key staff person, Dr. Steve Lentz (20% effort, paid by the Department of Ophthalmology), trains users on the confocal microscopes and the advanced features of the Leica AF, MetaMorph, and Imaris software packages. During the next funding period, it is anticipated that 15 investigators will use this Core to a moderate or extensive degree. During the past 5 years, this Core was moderately or extensively utilized by 14 investigators.