Equipment
Leica TCS SP5 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
Leica TCS SP5 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope The Leica SP5 confocal system has eight visible laser lines provided by a multi-line argon laser, a Diode-pumped solid state laser, and orange and red helium neon lasers. In addition, a UV diode laser provides excitation at 405nm thus enabling the imaging of dyes such as DAPI, and the blue fluorescent proteins.
| Laser | Wavelength |
|---|---|
| Near UV Diode | 405 nm |
| Argon | 458 nm 476 nm 488 nm 496 nm 514 nm |
| DPSS (Diode-Pumped Solid State) | 561 nm |
| HeNe Orange (Helium-Neon) | 594 nm |
| HeNe red (Helium-Neon) | 633 nm |
The laser lines are readily controlled by acousto-optical tunable filters and the combination of the acousto-optical beam splitter (AOBS) and the fully tunable spectral detectors provide maximal flexibility for the detection of dyes/fluorescent proteins with closely overlapping emission characteristics.
The five spectral confocal channels and a transmitted light channel permit the simultaneous capture of 5 fluorescent signals plus DIC.
This SP5 system is equipped with a conventional scanner and a high speed ‘resonant’ scanner capable of scanning up to 25 frames/second (512 x 512 format). The confocal system is attached to a Leica DM 6000 fully automated upright microscope with high numerical aperture oil and water immersion objectives and a SuperZ galvonometer-controlled stage.
Objectives:
| Description | Magnification / Aperture | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 10X Dry | 10X / 0.40 | HC PL APO CS |
| 20X Water | 20X / 0.70 | HC PL APO CS |
| 40X Oil | 40X /1.25-0.75 | HCX PL APO CS |
| 63X Oil | 63X/1.40-0.60 | HCX PL APO CS |
| 63X Water | 63X/1.20 | HCX PL APO |
The microscope is equipped with a UV light source (Metal Halogenide) and 4 filter cubes (UV, green, red LP and red BP):
| Filter cube | Excitation filter | Emission filter |
|---|---|---|
| A | BP 340-380 | LP 425 |
| I3 | BP 450-490 | LP 515 |
| N2,1 | BP 515-560 | LP 590 |
| N3 | BP 546/12 | BP 580-620 |
Training is required and the training fee is $80 per user. This covers a 3 to 4 hour training session, a one hour free hands-on session (with assistance), as well as assistance when using the microscope. The usage fee is $20/ hour
Olympus SZX-12 Stereo Microscope
The Olympus SZX12 is a stereoscope with a long working distance and wide zoom range. It is equipped with DFPLFL 0.5X PF and DFPLFL 1.0X objectives coupled with 10 X eyepieces (Zoom range to 108X). The two parfocal objectives are mounted on a revolving nosepiece which allows easy switching between lenses and easy adjustments of focus. It is mounted on a transmitted light base and has dual fiber optics for reflected illumination. It is equipped with a color CCD camera connected to the Optronics MagnaFire acquisition software. A choice of filter cubes is available for fluorescence imaging:
| Filter cube | Excitation filter | Emission filter |
|---|---|---|
| UV (DAPI) | 350/50 | 460/50 |
| BP Green (FITC) | 480/30 | 535/40 |
| LP Green (GFP) | 470/40 | LP 500 |
| Red (TRITC) | 540/25 | 605/55 |
This scope can be used free of charge following a free 15 minutes training.
After an initial training, all instruments can be scheduled through
To schedule an appointment for training with microscope use, or for questions, please contact PCIC@cornell.edu or call 1-607-254-4436 between the hours of 9 am and 1 pm.