Equipment

• Eclipse Ti

  The Eclipse Ti is a fully motorized, perfect focus microscope. The system is fully motorized and computer controlled for six-dimensional imaging. The motorized encoded Z drive has three sensitivities with a minimum step size of 25 nm. The Eclipse Ti microscope is equipped with brightfield and DIC, as well as epi-fluorescence and TIRF laser sources. A variety of objective lenses are available for the Eclipse Ti, which may be coupled with a 1.5X intermediate zoom. The Clemson Light Imaging Facility has dry, water immersion and oil immersion objective lenses ranging from 4X to 100X, including the Nikon 60X TIRF oil immersion lens with the world's highest numerical aperture of 1.49.

  
• Leica SP8X MP Confocal with Hyvolution

  This high-speed multiphoton imaging system is equipped with a Coherent Vision S Ti-Sapphire laser, a tunable whitelight laser for maximum flexibility in stain choices, and high sensitivity GaAsP detectors for increased signal to noise ratio. Multiphoton imaging is less phototoxic to live cells since IR wavelengths, as opposed to UV wavelengths, are utilized.

  
• Cytoviva

  The Cytoviva uses patented illumination technology to collect high signal-to-noise, transmitted darkfield images of scattered light from nanoparticles. The hyperspectral imaging system captures the visible and near infrared spectrum within each pixel of the field of view. This allows for detailed spectral analysis of the scattered light from scanned materials. This "spectral library" for specific nanomaterials can be used to confirm the presence of the nanomaterials in cells, tissue, or composites.

  
• Leica DM750P Polarized Light
  The DM750P is an entry-level polarized light microscope. The object guide allows precise X/Y specimen positioning, and the stage brake prevents stage movement. The scope features a strain-free condenser for magnifications from 4X to 100X and 4 strain-free objectives (10X, 40X, 63X, and 100X). The microscope can be coupled to a Leica DFC290 HD 3 MP color camera for image capture.

  
• Nikon LV-UDM

  This universal design upright microscope allows users to image both traditional and biological samples, such as thin tissue sections prepared on a slide and sealed under a coverslip, as well as larger specimens that do not fit on a slide. This feature is facilitated by the stage, which can be moved in the Z-direction, and the objectives, some of which are extra-long working distance lenses. Observation modes include transmitted and reflected light, darkfield, and fluorescence. Extended depth of focus images can be prepared using either the integrated NIS-Elements software package or by using the 3rd party software package, Helicon Focus.

  
• Olympus LEXT

  The LEXT 3D laser measuring microscope system performs non-contact roughness measurements, 3D measurements, and measurements of acute-angled specimens (slopes up to 85o). Images larger than the field of view can be collected using the stitching program. The Z-drive moves in steps less than 1 nm. Accuracy and repeatability guaranteed by Olympus.

  
• Leica SPE Confocal

  This spectral confocal features four laser lines with tunable filters. Objectives ranging from 10X to 63X are available, and the system features scan speeds ranging from 400 to 800 Hz. Other features include tile scan for stitching large sample areas or mark and find for automatic Z-stacks of multiple areas of interest.

  
• Leica M125 Stereoscope

  This ergonomic and modular routine stereoscope features an ESD design, a large field of view, and a 10:1 zoom range. The microscope is equipped with the Leica LED3000 NVITM LED light source and a Leica DFC290HD, 3 mp color camera. Additional light sources are available, including spotlight LEDs and a LED ring light.

  
• Leica Laser Microdissection

  The laser microdissection (LMD) system, also known as laser capture microscopy (LCM), allows users to use a non-contact method to isolate homogeneous samples from the heterogeneous starting material. After dissecting regions of interest from the initial tissue sample, or isolating cells from cell culture, purified samples can be analyzed downstream using a variety of analysis methods such as PCR or proteomic studies. The starting material can be arranged on slides or Petri dishes, and the collected samples are collected in individual PCR tubes or strips.

  
• Nikon Imaging Solutions

  The Nikon imaging software, NIS-elements provides integrated control of the microscope and imaging systems. This software platform offers a wide range of tools for measurement, documentation and databasing. In addition, Adobe Photoshop is available for image analysis in the CLIF.

• Biorad S3E Cell Sorter

  The S3e is an automated sorter with real-time technology. Features include hands-free alignment and automated drop delay calculations. The system is equipped with 2 laser lines (488 nm and 561 nm) and detectors for forward scatter, side scatter, and fluorescence. Users may perform 2-way cell sorting or may use the equipment as a flow cytometer.

  
• The Tali Image-Based Cytometer

  The Tali is an imaged based cell cytometer and features three channels: brightfield, green fluorescence, and red fluorescence. The Tali has the capability to asses viability, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and cell cycle. It is compatible with a wide variety of eukaryotic cells and requires only 25 μL of sample volume, and only takes 10 seconds to 2 minutes to run a typical assay.

  
• The Countess

  The Countess is a cell counter that allows the option for a reusable hemocytometer. While the Countess only features one imaging channel - brightfield - live/dead counts and average cell size can be measured in approximately 30 seconds.

  
• FlowJo Software

  

  To further analyze Flow Cytometry Data, the CLIF has a FlowJo software license. Flowjo is an analysis software capable of visualizing .fcs data from the BioRad S3e and other cytometers. Gating procedures, cell cycle analysis, and histogram overlays are a few of the advanced features available using FlowJo. For more information and software tutorials, visit the FlowJo website.