This protocol describes a sealed preparation that allows the continuous long-term observation of cultured mammalian cells on upright or inverted microscopes without environmental CO2 control. The preparation allows for optical conditions consistent with high-quality imaging and good cell viability for at least 100 hours. - [Read A Sealed Preparation for Long-Term Observations of Cultured Cells]
Basic information on confocal microscopy, includes: Specimen Preparation and Imaging; Objective Lens Parameters and Optical Section Thickness; The Objective Lens; Probes for Confocal Imaging; Autofluorescence; Collecting Images; Troubleshooting; Image Processing and Publication; - [Read Confocal Microscopy: Speciman Preparation and Imaging]
When imaging specimens in the optical microscope, differences in intensity and/or color create image contrast, which allows individual features and details of the specimen to become visible. Contrast is defined as the difference in light intensity between the image and the adjacent background relative to the overall background intensity. In general, a minimum contrast value of 0.02 (2 percent) is needed by the human eye to distinguish differences between the image and its background. - [Read Contrast in Optical Microscopy]
Specimen chambers have had many designs published over the years describing systems that offer excellent optical properties while allowing specimens to be maintained for varying amounts of time. Ranging in complexity from the simple preparation of a sealed coverslip on a microscope slide to sophisticated perfusion chambers that enable tight control of virtually all environmental variables culture chambers are designed to to allow living specimens to be observed with minimal invasion at high res. - [Read Culture Chambers for Live-Cell Imaging]
Protocol 2 - Embedding of cell monolayer in epoxy resin. Protocol 3 - Embedding of scraped cells ... Welcome to the new CCMI: Electron Microscopy Website. ... Yale Protocols. - [Read Electron Microscopy Protocols Yale]
There are many variations based on the type of tissue to be examined, whether one is dealing with cell suspensions, biopsies, perfused tissues, or monolayer . Fixation Protocol. OSU Campus Microscopy & Imaging Facility :: The Ohio State University College of Med - [Read Fixation Protocol]
Fluorescent indicators for imaging protein phosphorylation in single living cells. Using Phocuses, genetically encoded fluorescent indicators, one can visualize signal transduction based on protein phosphorylation in living cells. Moritoshi Sato1, Takeaki Ozawa1, Kouichi Inukai2, Tomoichiro Asano2 & Yoshio Umezawa1. Nature Biotechnology - [Read Fluorescent indicators for imaging protein phosphorylation in single living cells]
Most biological specimens are relatively transparent, so details of internal and intracellular morphology are difficult to image in untreated living specimens using simple bright-field techniques. Fluorescence microscopy offers greater advantages and possibilities for increasing contrast and determining the specific localization of molecules in cells. Article outlines the three methods most commonly used to introduce an appropriate label into Drosophila tissue without perturbing the process. - [Read Fluorescent Reagents for Live Cell Imaging and Their Introduction into Cells]
The same GFP-tagged actin construct used in cell transfection experiments has been used to produce transgenic mice. Transgenic animals allow the imaging of brain tissue in the intact animal, as acutely cut slices or as organotypic slice cultures. They also serve as a source of cells for imaging neurons at high resolution in dispersed low-density cell culture. In contrast to cells transfected in culture, where the level of actin-GFP expression in neurons varies considerably, transgenic mice... - [Read Imaging Actin in Tissue Slices from Transgenic Mouse Brain Protocol]
The scanning transmission electron microscope precision and reproducibility of mass measurements are comparable with those of the analytical ultracentrifuge, the possibility of determining the mass not only of entire supramolecular assemblies but also of their distinct components has opened exciting new avenues which have occasionally been entered but are not yet fully explored. Includes: Principle and application (The GroEL:GroES complex). - [Read Imaging and Measuring Biomolecules & Their Assemblies by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy]
Specific molecular components can be efficiently labeled by a combination of three methods: chemical transfection of GFP-fusion constructs, staining of chromosomes with the DNA-specific, fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342, and microinjection of fluorescently conjugated proteins. This procedure provides an example of using all three methods in sequence to label components of living HeLa cells. These methods should be followed in the order presented, but any of them can be omitted when not needed. - [Read Imaging Hoechst-Labeled Chromosomes and Fluorescent Proteins during the Cell Cycle]
Fluorescence microscopy provides a powerful tool for imaging molecular components in living cells. Specific molecular components can be efficiently labeled by a combination of three methods: chemical transfection of GFP-fusion constructs, staining of chromosomes with the DNA-specific, fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342, and microinjection of fluorescently conjugated proteins. This procedure provides an example of using all three methods in sequence to label components of living HeLa cells. - [Read Imaging Hoechst-Labeled Chromosomes and Fluorescent Proteins during the Cell Cycle]
In recent years, the increased sensitivity of electron detectors and the availability of low-vacuum or variable-pressure systems have allowed imaging of fresh tissue samples without the need for fixation, drying, and coating. This obviously saves a lot of time, although the image quality may not be as good as that obtained from fixed samples. However, for most applications that tend to be at a relatively low magnification, the quality can be as good as that obtained from fixed samples. - [Read Imaging of Fresh Arabidopsis Tissues in the Scanning Electron Microscope]
In recent years, the increased sensitivity of electron detectors and the availability of low-vacuum or variable-pressure systems have allowed imaging of fresh tissue samples without the need for fixation, drying, and coating. This obviously saves a lot of time, although the image quality may not be as good as that obtained from fixed samples. However, for most applications that tend to be at a relatively low magnification, the quality can be as good as that obtained from fixed samples. - [Read Imaging of Fresh Arabidopsis Tissues in the Scanning Electron Microscope Protocol]
Using confocal laser-scanning microscope & GFP fusion proteins in time-lapse imaging to visualize the behavior of organelles and to track membrane-bound transport intermediates that bud off from organelles. Practical issues related to construction & expression of GFP fusion proteins are discussed. Essential for optimizing the brightness and expression levels of GFP fusion proteins so that intracellular membrane-bound structures containing these fusion proteins can be readily visualized. - [Read Imaging of Organelle Membrane Systems and Membrane Traffic in Living Cells]
The atomic force microscope (AFM) is one of the most powerful tools for determining the surface topography of native biomolecules at subnanometer resolution. The AFM can also provide insight into the binding properties of biological systems. In order to determine the specific interaction between two kinds of molecules (e.g., avidin and biotin). Includes information on principle of AFM and application of AFM. - [Read Imaging, Measuring and Manipulating Native Biomolecular Systems with the Atomic Force Microscope]
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a established quantitative and noninvasive imaging modality. With the PET reporter gene (PRG)/PET reporter probe (PRP) system, based on a mutant form of herpes simplex virus 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-sr39tk), the PET signal is directly proportional to the enzymatic activity of sr39TK9-14. In this protocol, we describe in detail a method for reporter gene labeling of islets and quantitative scanning using a reporter probe. - [Read In Vivo Functional Real-Time Imaging of Transplanted Islets Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET)]
Information on: Applications of Confocal Microscopy; Practical Instruments; Limitations of point-scanning Confocal Microscopy; Parallel beam confocal Imaging Systems. - [Read Information on Confocal Imaging]
Live-cell imaging techniques provide critical insight into the fundamental nature of cellular & tissue function, especially due to the rapid advances that are currently being witnessed in fluorescent protein & synthetic fluorophore technology. Because of these advances, live-cell imaging has become a requisite analytical tool in most cell biology labs. Includes: Maintaining Live Cells on the Microscope Stage; Live-Cell Imaging Culture Chambers; Optical System and Detector Requirements etc. - [Read Introduction to Live-Cell Imaging Techniques]