Boston Area Cell Biology and Morphology Core

Overview

The Microscopy Core provides technical services and help for morphological studies and immunocytochemical work at the light (e. g., immunofluorescence) and the electron microscopic (e. g., immunogold) levels.

Members of BADERC are supported at three levels by this Core. First, short-term or preliminary studies can be performed by Core technicians who are experts in these areas, with little or no hands on input from the PI or colleagues.

Second, the lab of the PI can perform part of the work, such as initial cell/tissue preparation or fixation, and then the Core will complete the study. In many cases, investigators from the BADERC lab spend some time in the Core facility being instructed in some of these procedures.

Finally, the Core personel will train designated individuals from BADERC labs to become independent in the procedure of choice if the procedure will be established in the long term in a given lab. Thus, all steps from tissue fixation, sectioning, immunostaining and microscopy (including confocal microscopy) will be demonstrated to designated individuals.

This usually requires spending at least two weeks in the Core facility. I such cases, the Core equipment is then made available to the BADERC lab for future studies as and when required.

Thus, the Microscopy Core has a variety of menus to fit the microscopy/immunocytochemistry needs of most PIs. Interaction usually involves a preliminary discussion with the Core director and the Core technician who will be involved in the work. Intellectual and practical input are then tailored to fit individual requirements.

Services

• Tissue preparation, embedding and sectioning for electron microscopy
• Use of electron microscope and photography of thin sections
• Immunogold staining for electron microscopy
• Preparation and incubation of samples (cells and tissues) for immunofluorescence microscopy
• Confocal microscopy and digital imaging