Table of Contents
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Location: [Oeiras] Room 0B04 |
Leica Spinning Disk Confocal Quality Control
Leica Spinning Disk Confocal Usage StatisticsMicroscope overview
The Leica Spinning Disk Confocal Microscope is a high-performance imaging system designed for dynamic live cell studies, offering a balance between speed, resolution, and confocality. It uses a spinning disk with multiple pinholes to block out-of-focus light, while a sensitive EMCCD Andor iXon Ultra 888 camera enables rapid acquisition at 1024×1024 resolution. The motorized stage, equipped with a piezo for precise Z-axis control, supports advanced 4D imaging across multiple positions and channels. Adaptive Focus Control corrects vertical drift during long experiments, and the system includes a small cage and stage-top incubators for precise temperature and CO₂ regulation, ensuring stable conditions for fast, sensitive imaging with minimal photobleaching.
System components
Lasers
| Laser | Excitation lines | Maximum power |
|---|---|---|
| 405 | 405 nm | 100 mW |
| OPSL CW 488 | 488 nm | 100 mW |
| DPSS 561 | 561 nm | 100 mW |
| DPSS 640 | 640 nm | 100 mW |
Emission Filterwheel Spinning Disk
| Name | Emission λ | Most common fluorophores |
|---|---|---|
| CSU 405 BP | 460/50 | DAPI or Hoechst |
| CSU 488 BP | 525/50 | GFP, FITC or Alexa488 |
| CSU 561 BP | 595/50 | RFP, TRITC or A568 |
| CSU 640 BP | 685/40 | Cy5, A633 or A647 |
| DIC | - | Bright field with DIC optics |
| Quad | 450/521/607/700 | Quadruple channel |
Objectives
Turn on procedures
1. Turn on the computer.
2. Turn the power bar in the left side of the table On by pressing the red button, a green light should turn on.
3. Turn the power bar on the right side of the table On. This power bar in on top of the table behind the computer screen.
4. Turn on the Fluorescent lamp if you need it. There are 2 buttons in the lamp: power supply (1) [left side] and LED remote shutter(2) [right side].
5. Turn on the CSU unit (Spinning Disk) by rotating the key to the On position.
6. Turn on the Camera.
7. Open MetaMorph software with the Confocal configuration.
When you are finished and there is someone immediately after you, leave the entire system on. If you're the last or only person of the day, see the turn off procedures below.
Turn off procedures
1. Close the software and save all your files. Save all the files in the server using the shortcuts provided in the desktop.
2. Turn off the Cameras.
3. Turn off the CSU scanhead (Spinning disk) to the Off position.
4. Turn of the Fluorescent lamp by turning Off the left side button (1), check pictures above in case of doubt.
5. Turn off both power bars (left and right side), check images above in case of doubt.
6. Clean any immersion objectives you used.
7. TAKE OUT EVERYTHING YOU BROUGHT! (pipettes, slides, etc…)
