Microscopy


About LCA Microscopy

The LCA has several digital microscopes available to users, including state-of-the-art laser-scanning and spinning disc confocal microscopes and laser microdissection microscope from Zeiss located at Mt. Zion (Cancer Research Building), and Mission Bay (Genentech Hall and Hellen Diller Cancer Center).  Imaging consultations and analysis assistance is also available.

Instrument Operation/Training Rates:
Internal Rate: $94.64/hour
External Rate: $166.94/hour

For microscopy/imaging operator and technical assistance, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected].    

List of LCA Microscopes: (click to enlarge)

UCSF Cancer


Zeiss Cell Observer Spinning Disc Confocal

Zeiss Cell Observer

This spinning disk confocal microscope features full environmental control for long time-lapse multichannel live cell and tissue imaging, software controlled motorized stage and objective turret for large area tiling and multi position/well acquisition and z-stacking.

Instrument features: 

Configuration: Inverted
Excitation: three laser lines (405nm, 488nm, 561nm), and an X-Cite 120Q mercury lamp
Confocal module: Yocagawa CSU X1
Emission: confocal arm - DAPI, GFP, mCherry; Epifluorescence arm- DAPI, GFP, mCherry, Cy5. Click here for system spectral configuration (Add link to FB database).
Detection: Confocal arm- Evolve EMCCD; epifluorescence arm- AxioCam 506M
Objectives: 2.5X Plan-Neo, 10X A Plan, 20X Plan-Apo, 40X LD Plan-Neo, 63X Plan-Apo Oil, 100X Alpha Plan-Apo Oi
Operating system: ZEN blue 2012 (Carl Zeiss)

Sample table:

Live samples Semi thick samples Thick tissue Fixed slides Culture plates
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Application table:

Z-stack Multichannel Tiling and multiposition Epifluorescence Color camera (IHC) Highthroughput /high content Timelapse Environment control
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Location: HD337, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus

SOPs and required trainings: Training is required prior to first use

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli, PhD at [email protected]

Rates:
Self-Operated: $17.40/hour (internal rate) or $30.70/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $112.04/hour (internal rate) or $197.64 (external rate)
Off-hour and over 12 hours: $6.07/hour (internal rate) or $10.70/hour (external rate)


Zeiss PALM Laser Microdissection

Zeiss PALMThe Zeiss PALM Laser Microdissection system offers contact free manipulation and microdissection with laser and the separation of the specimen occurs with a laser beam focused precisely and with high accuracy.  This is a tool for isolation of single cells or cell groups in preparation for PCA, RT-PCT, and proteomics.

Location: HD355, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected]

Rates:
Self-Operated: $39.58/hour (internal rate) or $69.82/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $134.22/hour (internal rate) or $236.76 (external rate)

Objectives: 5X Fluar, 10X Fluar, 20X LD Plan-Neo, 40X LD Plan-Neo, 63X Plan-Neo

Light path: Inverted

Excitation (lasers or filters): Lamp Dapi, GFP, Rhoda mine, Cy5

Other features: Touch-cap collection

Software Platform: Palm Robot


Zeiss Confocal LSM 780

Zeiss ConfocalThe Zeiss Confocal Laser-Scanning Microscope 780 is a scanning confocal and 2-photon microscope specifically suited for in vivo imaging of live animals and deep tissue imaging of live and fixed samples.  Live cell imaging is available using a high NA 20X dipping lens.  Detectors include two sensitive external GaAsP detectors for 2-photon imaging, and three fully spectral internal detectors, including a 34 channel GaAsP array for detection of multicolor-labeled samples.  Additionally, the system has fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) capabilities through a frequency domain photon-counting card connected to the external GaAsPs basic tissue culture microscope. 

Location: Room 559, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Mission Bay Campus

Rates:
Self-Operated: $49.58/hour
With Operator Assistance: $78.32
Off-hour and over 12 hours: $29.76

Objectives: 5X, 10X LD, 20X dipping 2mm WD, 25X immersion, 63X water

Light path: Upright

Z-stacks: Yes

Time lapse: in vivo

Live Imaging Capabilities: Yes (no environmental control)

Excitation (Lasers or filters):  One laser UV (405nm), six visible laser lines (453nm, 488nm, 514nm, 561nm, 633nm), Lamp Dapi, GFP, Rhoda mine

Multi-photon Excitation: Mode-locked IR laser

Confocal Type: Point-scanning

Software Platform: ZEN


Zeiss Observer

Zeiss ObserverThe Zeiss Observer is a basic tissue culture microscope for general-use.  It is for use in all areas of light microscopy, including transmitted and incident light microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, darkfield, phase, and polarization contrast.

Location:
HD337, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus
S171, Cancer Research Building, Mt Zion Campus

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected]

Rates:
Self-Operated: $12.91/hour (internal rate) or $22.77/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $107.55/hour (internal rate) or $189.71 (external rate)

Objectives: 10X Plan Neo, 20X LD A-Plan, 25X Plan-Neo, 40X LD A-Plan

Light path: Inverted

Excitation (lasers or filters): Lamp Dapi, GFP, Rhoda mine

Software Platform: ZEN


Zeiss AxioImager 2

Zeiss AxioImager 2The Zeiss AxioImager 2 with AxioVision Software is a general-use, epiflurescent microscope for use in all areas of light microscopy, including transmitted and incident light microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, darkfield, phase, and polarization contrast.

Location: S171, Cancer Research Building, Mt Zion

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected]

Rates:
Self-Operated: $12.91/hour (internal rate) or $22.77/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $107.55/hour (internal rate) or $189.71 (external rate)

Objectives: 2.5X Plan-Neo, 10X Plan-Neo, 20X Plan-Apo, 40X Plan-Apo oil, 63X Plan-Apo oil

Light path: Upright

Excitation (lasers or filters): Lamp Dapi, GFP, Rhodamine, mCherry, Cy5

Software Platform: AxioVision


Zeiss AxioImager M1

Zeiss AxioImager M1The Zeiss AxioImager M1 with AxioVision Software is a general-use, epiflurescent microscope for use in all areas of light microscopy, including transmitted and incident light microscopy, fluorescent microscopy, darkfield, phase, and polarization contrast.

Location: HD355, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected]

Rates:
Self-Operated: $12.91/hour (internal rate) or $22.77/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $107.55/hour (internal rate) or $189.71 (external rate)

Objectives: 1.25X Plan-Neo, 5X Plan-Neo, 10X Plan-Neo, 20X Plan-Apo, 40X Plan-Neo, 63X Plan-Apo oil

Light path: Upright

Excitation (lasers or filters): Lamp Dapi, GFP, DsRded, mPlum, Cy5

Software Platform: ZEN


Keyence

Keyence MicroscopeMicroscope, all-in-one brightfield and fluorescence microscope.

Location: HD256, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus

Contact: You must be trained on the instrument before reserving. For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact [email protected] or (217) 721-1310

Rates:
Self-Operated: $12.91/hour (internal rate) or $22.77/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $107.55/hour (internal rate) or $189.71 (external rate)


Nikon Eclipse

Nikon EclipseThe Nikon Eclipse is a basic upright dual viewing teaching microscope. 

Location: HD355, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected]

Rates:
Self-Operated: $12.91/hour (internal rate) or $22.77/hour (external rate)
With Operator Assistance: $107.55/hour (internal rate) or $189.71 (external rate)

Objectives: 4X plan, 10X Plan, 20X Plan, 40X Plan

Light path: Upright

Excitation (lasers or filters): Bright field

Software Platform: NIS Elements


Zeiss ZEN Workstation

The Zen software workstation is for the post acquisition analysis of microscopy images obtained on the Zeiss microscopes.

Location: HD330, Helen Diller Building, Mission Bay Campus

Contact: For operator and technical assistance on this microscope, please contact Anna Celli at [email protected]


Operetta High-Content Analysis Station

OperettaThe PerkinElmer Operetta is a high-content fluorescent microscope optimized for quickly imaging multiwall plates (eg. 96, 384, etc).  It is great for experiments in which you want to analyze hundreds or thousands of different conditions or to look at a few samples in great detail, whether that is 3D disease models, primary cells, stem cells, or live or fixed cells.  Outputs can be as simple as cell number, or can include complex morphologic phenotypes or any fluorescent reporter.

Contact:
For operator and technical assistance on this instrument, please contact Ben Braun at [email protected].