Imaging Core Facility
The Center's In Vivo Imaging Facility is equipped with a wide range of cutting-edge microscopes. These microscopes allow researchers to study high-resolution cellular dynamics in diverse systems such as mouse embryos, living zebrafish and human embryonic stem cell cultures. Priority of use is given to researchers within the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, however, collaborative efforts with outside laboratories are highly encouraged. Researchers who would like to use the microscopes should contact Dr. Gage Crump at gcrump@usc.edu for approval. At present, the In Vivo Imaging Facility maintains the following microscopes.
1. Zeiss LSM510 Meta multiphoton confocal microscope. This is an inverted microcope with Coherent Ti:Sapphire, Argon (458, 488, 514), HeNe (543), and HeNe (633) lasers. In addition, it is equipped with a heated atmospheric chamber and an X-Y movable stage. This microscope is ideal for extended time-lapse recordings of development. Located in ZNI 532.
2. Zeiss LSM5 upright confocal microscope with UV (405), Argon (458, 488, 514), and HeNe (543) lasers. Located in ZNI 512.
3. Zeiss LSM5 upright confocal microscope with UV (405), Argon (458, 488, 514), HeNe (543), and HeNe (633) lasers. Located in HNRT 4th floor.
4. Zeiss Axioimager upright compound microscope. This microscope is equipped with an ApoTome module that allows near-confocal quality image acquisition of fixed samples. Located in ZNI 512.
5. Zeiss Axiovert 200 inverted compound microscope. This microscope is largely used for stem cell culture.