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MicroBites
The latest news from the Biomedical Imaging Research Unit
BIRU’s New Banner
Issue
3
April 20086
Confocal News
HOT NEWS: New Confocal Microscope in 2008!
BIRU has ordered a BRAND NEW state-of-the-art
inverted confocal microscope, which will be installed
later in the year. The Zeiss LSM 710, just released in
2008, is the latest technology available from Carl Zeiss.
The microscope will have high spec lenses and excellent
real-time acquisition capabilities including simultaneous
spectral imaging. This instrument promises to provide
exceptional quality for standard confocal microscopy,
as well as cutting edge techniques being pioneered
by Prof. Mark Cannell and A/P Christian Soeller. We
also hope to upgrade the machine to multi-photon in
the future. Watch this space for news of its official
opening.
TCS 4D lives on.....Last year, our trusty Leica TCS
4D confocal microscope finally gave up the ghost and
could not be repaired. However, the microscope is still
functioning as a fluorescence microscope (no camera
attached) and can be used for checking your slides. It
costs $5/ hour for University staff and students and
can be booked through the BIRU Scheduler. Contact
Ratish or Jacqui to register.
DIC....or is it?
The banner represents four main areas of imaging that
BIRU currently supports and showcases the quality of
work being produced by our users. We would like to
thank the contributors who kindly gave permission to
use their stunning images.
R
Confocal: Bacterial biofilm.
Kelly Roberts, School of Biological Sciences.
TEM: Liver biopsy from a patient with a storage
disease. Linda Graham, LabPlus, Auckland Hospital.
Light microscopy: GABA-A receptor expression (a1
subunit) in a motor neuron in the human medulla.
Elizabeth Eady, Dr. Henry Waldvogel & A/P Louise
Nicholson, Dept. of Anatomy with Radiology.
Image processing: 3D reconstruction of a moa skull
using AMIRA 3D software. Jeremy Corfield & Dr.
Fabiana Kubke, Dept. of Anatomy with Radiology.
www.health.auckland.ac.nz/biru
No, it’s actually another lesser known light microscopy
contrast technique called Hoffman Modulation Contrast
(HMC). The great thing about HMC is that it can be done
through plastic! As you know Differential Interference
Contrast (DIC) gives poor results if imaging through plastic
dishes, however HMC has been developed specifically
for this purpose. It provides images that appear 3dimensional just like DIC. Instead of using prisms, there is
a modulator in the objective lens and a special diaphragm
in the condenser and a polariser. These work together to
provide fantastic images. The technique is currently used
to examine embyros in the IVF field. The good news is
that we already have this available on our Nikon inverted
microscope. The HMC objectives are 20x and 40x, are long
working distance and are also suitable for fluorescence. If
you want to give this a try, please contact Jacqui.
For more info, check out: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/
techniques/hoffmann/hoffmannindex.html
Editor: Sue McGlashan
[email protected]
Another front cover image from a BIRU user
Congratulations to PhD
student Jeremy Corfield
and his supervisors Drs.
Fabiana Kubke and Stuart
Parsons for gaining the
prestigious spot on the
front cover of Brain,
Behavior and Evolution.
Images
were
obtained
using CT and modelled with
AMIRA. They represent
3D-reconstructions of the
bush moa skull and a model
of the brain.
MicroBites Issue 3:April 2008
Nikon News
New Image Pro Plus AFA Module
The Advanced Fluorescence Acquisition
module allows us to control all aspects of
our Nikon system including the motorised
XY stage, z stage, filter block, etc. It is
designed to facilitate live cell imaging and
allows multi-site imaging and large field
scans over time. If you want to more about
this, please contact Jacqui.
Citation: Corfield JR, Wild JM, Parsons S, Hauber ME & Kubke, MF. (2008)
Evolution of brain size in the Palaeognath lineage, with an emphasis on
New Zealand ratites. Brain, Behavior Evolution 71:87-99.
Microscopy New Zealand Inc
http://microscopynz.otago.ac.nz/
Our aim is to keep New Zealand microscopists in
touch with each other and share expertise, knowledge
and equipment. Our society aims to keep the network
alive, by organising and promoting events of interest to
microscopists and by keeping people informed about all
types of microscopy.
How does membership benefit you?
•
•
Sign up today!
obtain registration at the biennial microscopy conferences
participate in microscopy workshops and symposiums
•
swap ideas and information with like-minded people
•
meet microscopists from different disciplines
•
be informed about local microscopy affairs
•
be eligible for grants-in-aid to attend training courses and workshops
•
stay informed about new technology
•
have your say in the direction and affairs of the Society
•
support the resources of the Society (website, newsletter, & directory)
Annual membership fees
$20.00 (standard), $10.00 (full time students), $40.00 (corporate)
www.health.auckland.ac.nz/biru
Editor: Sue McGlashan
[email protected]