Microscopy Unit MCBI

The department is equipped with state of the art high-end microscopes for imaging and analyzing tissues and (structures of) cells. Ranging from overviews using 3D light sheet imaging to high resolutions in wide field (fluorescence) microscopy, (life cell imaging) confocal microscopy, two- photon microscopy, super resolution (gated) STED microscopy and electron microscopy (EM).
Training and support is provided by two employees. Specialized usergroup meetings for microscope techniques and analysis software are organized for sharing expertise between researchers from different institutes and departments.
Together with departments Physiology, ANW and MOVE, the MCBI is embedded in the AOI2M microscope facility with the advanced microscopy techniques. For information about the facility:  www.AO2M.amsterdam.

 1. Light sheet microscope: imaging large samples ( max. 1cm3) for 3D overviews with fluorescent labeled structures. A clearing lab for tissue preparation is available.
Ultra microscope II from Lavision Biotec (superK Extreme white light laser NKT Photonics; Andor Neo sCMOS camera) / Embryo, beta-3-tubulin, J. Koning

2. Twophoton microscope: deep 3D (intravital) imaging of fluorescent cells/ tissue due to the properties of longer excitation wavelengths. An isoflurane unit is avalaible.
Trimscope LaVision Bio Tec ( Ti Saph laser tunable 700-1000nm; 3,4W, femtosec pulsed)  / In vivo lymphnode: blue SHG signal of collagen, green autofluorescence (L. v.d. Steen/ E. Hendrikx)

3. Superresolution/confocal microscope (managed by department of Physiology) : imaging with ultrahigh resolution f.i. intracellular structures, as small as 30nm (axial) and 120nm (in Z).
Leica TCS SP8 gated STED 3X

4. Transmission electron microscope (TEM): for visualisation of organells, bacteria, proteins, liposomes, virusses etc. Epon embedding, (cryo-) cutting and immunogold labeling (Tokuyasu) for tissues available.
CM100 Philips with Morada G2 camera / Skin tissue, N. Paauw

5. Life cell imaging with automatic drift compensation (ZDC)and simultaneous imaging on several locations.
Fluorescence combined with DIC. Suitable for time lapse experiments with cells in culture. OlympusIX81 with climatisation chamberl (37°C,CO2  and humidity controlled) and motorized table.

6. Bright field and fluorescence microscopes for stained slides: complete overviews with automatically high resolution imaging is possible due to the wide range of objectives (1,25-100x) combined with motorized stage and suitable software.
Leica DM6000 with DFC 320 and DFC350 FX camera; Zeiss Imager D2 with AxioCam HRM camera; Zeiss Scope A1

7. Multihead bright field microscope for teaching or discussion possibilities with several people.
Bright field Nikon Y-THM

8. Several Bright field (phase contrast) and fluorescence microscopes in culture rooms ML1 and ML2.
Suitable for well plates (inverted micropes) with imaging possibilities or manual cell counting.
Upright fluorescence- and bright field microscope with large objective range and high resolution color camera Nikon E800

The MCBI Microscopy Team

Prof. dr. Elga (H.E.) de Vries
Professor at Department Molecular Cell Biology & Immunology
Advisor of microscopy unit, board AOI2M facility

Nanne Paauw
Operator. Speciality: EM, superresolution microscopy and light sheet microscopy