Main features:

• spectral imaging  - two detectors with tunable badwidth (plus one standard detector)
• transmitted light detector for brightfield or DIC imaging
• SIM scanner for photoactivation/photobleaching at high temporal resolution with a 405 nm laser independently of the imaging lasers.
• Inverted IX81 microscope with motorized XY stage, epifluorescence and DIC (Nomarski) illumination
• Standard epifluorescence imaging of  DAPI, Cyan, Green, and Yellow Fluorescent protein, Cy3 and Texas Red.
• Imaging lasers wavelengrhs: 405nm, 458nm, 488nm, 515nm, 543nm, 633nm
• Objectives: 10x/0.4,  20x/0.75, 40x/0.95 dry,  20x/0.85 oil, 100x/1.4 oil, 60x/1.2 water immersion. 

For ecommended fluorescent dyes and information on mounting media, go to fluorochromes.html.

All objectives have been tested for resolution and chromatic aberration. Detailed information on test results is available on request. The motorized stage allows multi-area time lapse imaging, assembly of large image mosaics, and automated imaging of specimens in multi-well microtiter plates. The universal specimen holder accepts standard 1" x 3" slides, 2" x 3" slides, and Petri dishes up to 60mm diameter. the recessed microtiter plate holder accomodates standard-size (85 x 128mm) glass-bottom multiwell culture plates.

A PC with software for off-line analysis of confocal datasets is available in our computer room. The programs available include the full version of the Olympus confocal software, VOXX for volume redndering (http://www.nephrology.iupui.edu/imaging/voxx/) and ImageJ (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/). Additionally, we now have a dedicated high-end workstation with the Amira software for image processing, deconvolution and 3D reconstructions. For quesdtions regarding the Amira package please contact Dr. Christos Savva (979-862-0227, csavva@mic.tamu.edu). 

Acknowledment requirements for the Olympus Confocal microscope

MIC guidelines mandate that the use of the MIC facility and the Olympus Confocal Microscope must be properly acknowledged in any publication (including web pages). You may use the following statement:

“The use of the Microscopy and Imaging Center facility at Texas A&M University is acknowledged. The Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope acquisition was supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research at Texas A&M University.”

User are also required to file a copy of any relevant publication containing the acknowledgment with the MIC administrative office.

FtsZ-GFP fusion in Arabidopsis leaf chloroplasts.  GFP (green ) and chlorophyll (red) fluorescence images. Olympus FV1000 confocal system, 60x/1.2 water immersion objective.  Image by Stanislav Vitha, MIC.

Downloads:

Startup and shutdown procedure: Olympus_confocal_startup.pdf
Short user guide (~5 pages): Olympus_confocal_user_guide.pdf
Requirements for the check-out test: Checkout_Olympus_confocal.pdf
User manual (Olympus document, 66 pages): FV10-ASW_QuickStart_E.pdf
For a free viewer (for Windows PCs) for the confocal images, download from Olympus here.   Our serial number is 5L10.