Projects
Confocal analyses of subcellular protein trafficking in DCs
Confocal microscopy allows uniform optical sections of cells or tissues to be collected. Perhaps more importantly, by rejecting out-of-focus light, it allows collection of multicolor images at high resolution, assuming optimization of pinhole diameter and illumination. This technology is one of the most heavily used imaging methods available at the Facility.
View examples of experiments using confocal analyses
Multiphoton analysis of antigen primed dendritic cells in the skin
In investigating thick biological specimens, which is a commonly requested service of the Facility, the use of single-photon confocal microscopy is ultimately hindered by factors limiting the image signal-to-noise ratio. Such specimens, through scattering and absorption, attenuate the visible and U.V. laser wavelengths optimal for excitation of many important fluorophores. Multiphoton microscopy relies on the simultaneous absorption of two long wavelength (near infrared) photons to generate an electron transition within a fluorophore equivalent to that produced by a single high-energy photon. The diffraction limited focusing and pulsed nature of the lasers used results in an excitation event only at the plane of focus of the illuminating lens.