Instrumentation
The Biobank and Research Pathology Resource at Cedars-Sinai offers a suite of instrumentation for the research community's use. Researchers can request training from core personnel on any instrument and, after training, can reserve an instrument for self-use.
Molecular
- Provides profiles for up to 800 mRNAs, microRNAs, or DNA targets simultaneously (capable of protein expression profiling as well)
- Digital detection of target molecules with high levels of multiplexing
- The system uses molecular “barcodes” and single-molecule imaging to detect and count hundreds of unique molecules in a single reaction
- Unlike other methods, the protocol does not include any amplification steps before measurement that might introduce a bias to the results
- Ideal for low-abundance sources, e.g., formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded blocks
- Leica Biosystems' built-in UV-C disinfection system provides certified protection from infectious material and minimizes the risk of contamination in the cryochamber
- Use for high-quality sectioning, user safety and efficient laboratory workflow
- A standard sonicator that uniformly processes multiple samples (up to six)
- Current setup accommodates 1.5ml tubes
- For shearing chromatin, ChIP-Seq sample preparation, cell lysis and protein extraction
- A small bead-mill homogenizer that provides fast, effective disruption of up to 12 samples at the same time
- Used to mechanically lyse cells or homogenize tissue
- Adaptor can be prechilled to keep samples cool
- qPCR machine that accommodates 96- and 384-well plates
- Five-color multiplex detection—operates with TaqMan or SYBR Green reagents
- For RNA and miRNA expression profiling, SNP genotyping, measurements of copy number variation, generation of protein thermal shifts, high-resolution melting curves and pathogen detection
- A UV-Vis spectrophotometer with both microvolume pedestal and macrovolume cuvette measurement options
- Capable of measuring DNA, RNA and protein concentrations
- An acoustic transducer that can precisely focus energy to one sample at a time
- Current setup can process one to eight samples in a single batch
- Computer software–directed operation allows for total control of energy input to sample with reliable reproducibility
- Can be used with frozen and FFPE tissues (specific kits are required)
- For DNA fragmenting, tissue homogenization, cell lysis, compound dissolution, and particle micronization
- For fully automated sample prep (DNA, RNA, and protein) using QIAGEN spin-column kits
- Uses advanced technology to process QIAGEN spin columns, en
- abling seamless integration of automated, low-medium throughput sample prep into the laboratory workflow
- No change of purification chemistry is required, assuring fast startup and immediate results
- All steps in the purification procedure are fully automated—up to 12 samples can be processed per run
- Provides all the advantages of the ultimate thin-layer cell preparation system
- This reliable benchtop centrifuge provides economical thin-layer preparations from any liquid matrix, especially hypocellular fluids such as spinal fluid and urine
- Use this centrifuge to adhere cells in suspension to glass microscope slides
- Small and large volume cytofunnels are available
- An easy-to-use benchtop ultracentrifuge
- Separates samples from as small as 175μl up to 32.4ml, and at speeds up to 150,000 RPM and more than 1,000,000 x g
Imaging
Whole-slide scanned image of multiple mouse cardiac tissues (Hasan Lab).
- High throughput whole-slide fluorescent scanning
- Acquire up to 9 spectrally separated fluorescence channels with a single-band filter set
Whole-slide scanned image and software interface.
- A fast and versatile whole-slide scanning device
- It can digitize up to 400 slides from a single load and export them into a file to be viewed on the end-user's computer
- The AT Turbo is a state-of-the-art device and provides a very good image quality
- Images acquired by means of this device can then be analyzed using Leica Image Analysis software dedicated for digital pathology
Whole-slide scanned image of A) kidney tissue (3-color) and B) tumor tissue (5-color).
- Provides automatic scanning of up to 200 brightfield and fluorescent slides and TMAs
- Combined with TissueGnostics integrated high-speed camera, it provides high-throughput for slides, with speed and versatility in the top range
- Its integrated slide label reading system digitizes barcodes and alphanumerical printed slide labels, and stores and displays high-resolution label images
- Capable of oil immersion scanning
Kidney sympathetic innervation (Tourtellotte Lab).
- Selective plane illumination microscope for 3-D imaging
- Equipped with a second light sheet that excites the identical specimen area from the opposed direction to improve the fluorescence homogeneity
- The Ultramicroscope II allows in vivo imaging of cleared samples
- All optical and mechanical components are compatible to most clearing solutions (DBE, Clarity, iDISCO) and water
- It features 488nm, 561nm, 639nm, 750nm lasers for excitation
Representative images of 3D tumor organoid.
- Features a fully tunable supercontinuum laser that provides excitation lines from 470 nm to 670 nm in the visible spectrum
- Freedom to choose the specific excitation line in 1 nm increments allows optimal adjustment of the excitation to the special properties of the dye. This flexibility decreases damage to the cell and reduces unwanted cross-excitation.
- The system offers CO2 controlled stage-top incubator for live cell imaging. The motorized stage can be used to image large samples at high resolution through stitching and tiling in 3-D
Multiplex image using Airyscan
- Offers high sensitivity for demanding confocal imaging work
- Equipped with a motorized stage, an autofocus device, and a full stage-top incubator, the 780 is the perfect microscope for high-end live cell imaging
- The high-sensitivity 38-channel Quasar detector allows for spectral imaging, linear unmixing, and high color count (> 4) image acquisition
Multiplex image from tumor tissue (5-color).
- Capable of basic and advanced fluorescence and brightfield microscopy
- Equipped with an incubation chamber for live cell and time-lapse imaging
- Motorized stage allows for tiling and mark-and-find capabilities
- Can acquire z-stacks allowing for projection image processing
- Operates with Leica Application Suite X software capable of conducting basic image analysis and automated image capturing
A) brightfield slide image (before microdissection), B) brightfield slide image (after microdissection), C) fluorescence image (after microdissection).
- Used to isolate single cells or groups of cells in a tissue to obtain homogeneous ultrapure samples from heterogeneous starting material
- Samples can be viewed by brightfield or fluorescence microscopy
- The instrument can capture multiple cell types sequentially from a slide and combine materials captured from multiple slides
- The laser can also be used for retrieval of live cells
- Users must supply their own LCM-compatible slide or culture vessel
- A brightfield microscope with various contrast methods
- Superior optics combined with true-color LED illumination for excellent color rendering
- Equipped with a digital camera to capture high-quality, publication-caliber images
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