The scope is located in Tupper Hall 4141. After the first 4 hours of a lab's use, a recharge rate of $45/hr applies. The rate drops to $30 after 20 hours of use in any calendar month. Recharge funds will be used to maintain and upgrade the microscope.

Training is required, potential users should contact Jon Sack: jsack@health.ucdavis.edu.

Zeiss LSM 880 with Airyscan Microscope
Zeiss LSM 880 with Airyscan Microscope

The Microscope

  • Zeiss LSM 880 inverted spectral imaging confocal microscope with a 34 channel spectral detector to construct pixel-by-pixel fluorescence emission spectra, i.e. emission intensities at 34 different wavelengths. This allows signal from a fluorophore of interest to be identified by its emission fingerprint and other fluorescence discarded post hoc. This is particularly useful for determining fluorescence emission spectra that shift in experimental preparations. This microscope is ideal for quantitating signals from probes that change their emission properties when bound to a target, allowing the ratio of free vs bound probes to be determined with maximal signal to noise.
  • The system is equipped with new super-resolution technology. Airy disk imaging array “Airyscan” to achieve resolution beyond the diffraction limit (140 nm at 488 nm) quickly. It enables impressing super-resolution live imaging (e.g. microtubule movement)
  • 405, 458, 488, 514, 543, 594, and 633 nm lasers
  • 14 frames per second for a 512 x 512 scan
  • temperature controlled chamber
  • CO2/N2 control chamber, for hypoxia experiments, bicarb buffering
  • patch clamp amplifier
  • perfusion chambers for cells adhered to 12, 15, or 15 mm round coverslips