GO TO THE FULL PROTOCOL:
PDF or HTML at Wiley Online Library
Setting Up and Running an Advanced Light Microscopy and Imaging Facility
Publication Name:
Current Protocols in Cytometry
Unit Number:
Unit 12.22
DOI:
10.1002/0471142956.cy1222s57
Online Posting Date:
July, 2011
Abstract
During the last twenty years, interest in light microscopy and imaging techniques has grown in various fields, such as molecular and cellular biology, developmental biology, and neurobiology. In addition, the number of scientific articles and journals using these techniques is rapidly increasing. Nowadays, most research institutions require sophisticated microscopy systems to cover their investigation demands. In general, such instruments are too expensive and complex to be purchased and managed by a single laboratory or research group, so they have to be shared with other groups and supervised by specialized personnel. This is the reason why microscopy and imaging facilities are becoming so important at research institutions nowadays. In this unit, we have gathered and presented a number of issues and considerations from our own experience that we hope will be helpful when planning or setting up a new facility. Curr. Protoc. Cytom. 57:12.22.1‐12.22.21. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Keywords: fluorescence; microscopy; confocal; facility
Figures
-
Figure 12.22.1 Distribution of instruments. This is the distribution of one multiphoton and two confocal systems in one of the author's facility rooms. Each room accommodates one instrument and is isolated from the corridor by screens and black sliding curtains. They should have space for microscopes (Micro), visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) laser racks, computers, and some comfortable chairs. Adjustable lights are recommended. Additionally, CO 2 /carbogen, compressed air and hot air exits, as well as ethernet and electrical sockets might be needed. -
Figure 12.22.2 A good and practical Web site, including a Web‐based equipment scheduling database, is very helpful for the facility performance. In ours, we include information about microscopy, imaging, protocols and reagents; information about events (workshops, seminars, courses, etc.) and news; and information about the facility (available equipment, guides, article references, useful links, booking, etc.). -
Figure 12.22.3 Facility statistics. A complete register of the instrument's use allows recovering very valuable information to improve the facility. Here, we show some examples: use of instruments per research areas, per years, and per laboratories/users. -
Figure 12.22.4 Basic guidelines. Apart from quick user guides, we would recommend placing some posters close to the instruments with instructions about switching on/off, configuration, features, and basic care, which can be easily accessed in the absence of the technical staff.
Videos
Literature Cited
| Literature Cited | |
| Anderson, K., Sanderson, J., and Jan Peychl, J. 2007. "Design and function of a light‐microscopy facility. Principles and Practice Book Series". In Imaging Cellular and Molecular Biological Functions, pp. 93‐113. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. | |
| Combs, C. 2010. Fluorescence microscopy: A concise guide to current imaging methods. Curr. Protoc. Neurosci. 50:2.1.1‐2.1.14. | |
| Cooke, P. 2000. Chemical microscopy. Anal. Chem. 72:169R‐188R. | |
| DeMaggio, S. 2002. Running and setting up a confocal microscope core facility. Methods Cell Biol. 70:475‐485. | |
| Fernández‐Suárez, M. and Ting, A. 2008. Fluorescent probes for superresolution imaging in living cells. Nat. Rev. Molec. Cell Biol. 9:929‐943. | |
| Humphrey, E. 2004. How to promote a facility in order to increase use, acquire new equipment and, as a result, increase revenue. Microsc. Today. 12:32‐36. | |
| Linkert, M., Rueden, C., Allan, C., Burel, J‐M., Moore, W., Patterso, A., Loranger, B., Moore, J., Neves, C., MacDonald, D., Tarkowska, A., Sticco, C., Hill, E., Rossner, M., Eliceiri, K., and Swedlow, J. 2010. Metadata matters: Access to image data in the real world. J. Cell Biol. 189:777‐782. | |
| Moore, J., Allan, C., Burel, J‐M., Loranger, B., MacDonald, D., Monk, J., and Swedlow, J. 2008. Open tools for storage and management of quantitative image data. Methods Cell Biol. 85:555‐570. | |
| Murphy, J.A. 2002. Designing a microscopy/analytical instrumentation facility: Step by step procedure. Microsc. Today. 10:36‐39. | |
| Ntziachristos, V. 2010. Going deeper than microscopy: The optical imaging frontier in biology. Nat. Methods 7:603‐614. | |
| O'Donoghue, S., Gavin, A‐C., Gehlenborg, N., Goodsell, D., Hériché, J‐K., Nielsen, C., North, C., Olson, A., Procter, J., Shattuck, D., Walter, T., and Wong, B. 2010. Visualizing biological data—now and in the future. Nat. Methods Suppl. 7:S2‐S4. | |
| Rae Chi, K. 2009. Ever‐increasing resolution. Nature 462:675‐678. | |
| Smith, L.E., Smallwood, R., and Macneil, S. 2010. A comparison of imaging methodologies for 3D tissue engineering. Microscopy Res. Techn. 73:1123‐1133. | |
| Spiller, D., Wood, C., Rand, D., and White, M. 2010. Measurement of single‐cell dynamics. Nature 465:736‐745. | |
| Swedlow, J. and Eliceiri, K. 2009. Open source bioimage informatics for cell biology. Trends Cell Biol. 19:656‐660. | |
| Swedlow, J., Goldberg, I., Eliceiri, K., and the OME Consortium. 2009. Bioimage informatics for experimental biology. Annu. Rev. Biophys. 38:327‐346. | |
| Walter, T., Shattuck, D., Baldock, R., Bastin, M., Carpenter, A., Duce, S., Ellenberg, J., Fraser, A., NHamilton, N., Pieper, S., Ragan, M., Schneider, J., Tomancak, P., and Hériché, J‐K. 2010. Visualization of image data from cells to organisms. Nat. Methods Suppl. 7:S26‐S41. | |
| Wessels, J.T., Yamauchi, K., Hoffman, R.M., and Wouters, F.S. 2010. Advances in cellular, subcellular, and nanoscale imaging in vitro and in vivo. Cytometry A 77:667‐676. | |
