Bioimaging Wiki

The Zeiss Cell Observer WF is a fully motorized inverted widefield fluorescence microscope ideal for live-cell imaging applications. It is equipped with a large cage incubator and a small stage incubator for temperature control and CO2 supply and with Definite Focus for hardware focus control during long time-lapse acquisitions. Using the ZEN 2 software you can control the motorized filters, shutters and stage to simultaneously set up multi-color time-lapse imaging experiments in multiple stage positions. Its sensitive cooled Axiocam 506m camera allows you to capture weak fluorescent signals and minimize photobleaching/photodamage in light sensitive samples. You can also perform Z-stack acquisition and use our deconvolution server Brainstorm to significantly improve image resolution even in thick samples. If don't want to use deconvolution, check out one of the confocal systems such as the Zeiss LSM 710, the Zeiss LSM 880 or the 3i Marianas SDC spinning disk. If your personal computer cannot handle all the data you collected, check out the Big Guy or Colossus. If you have FISH or other fixed fluorescence slides try the Leica DM5000B instead.

The Zeiss Cell Observer WF booking is divided in three daily slots:

1. A user can book at maximum 2 sessions per week
2. Each session must fit inside one of the three daily slots (i.e. a session booked from 11:00 to 14:00 counts as 2 sessions)
3. The above rules do not apply for weekends and for work days before 9:00 and after 21:00
4. The above rules do not apply for sessions booked on the very same day or 24 hours ahead
5. Exceptions to these rules require approval from José Rino.
6. Users must indicate which lasers they are going to use in the booking Description field
7. Users must indicate if they will use the incubator in the booking Description field (write down 37C INCUBATOR)
8. Users must write their internal extension phone number in the booking Description field

Upon request:

• Turn on the HXP 120 fluorescence light.

• Turn on the Temperature and CO2 controller (if you need them).

• If you need CO2, open the valve

• Turn on the Motorized Stage controller (A)

• Turn on the Definite Focus controller (if you are going to use it)

• Turn on the Microscope power supply (B)

• Turn on the computer
• Log in Windows with your lab user account (each lab has it's own area and login).
• Start the ZEN 2 software

• Exit the ZEN 2 software
• Turn off the computer
• If you used any immersion oil in the objectives, clean them up.
• Turn off the microscope power supply (B)
• Turn off the Definite Focus controller (if used)
• Turn off the Motorized Stage controller (A)
• Turn off the Temperature and CO2 controller (if used)
• If there's another user for this microscope in the next hour leave the mercury lamp power source on, else turn it off.
• Be extra careful in weekends and at the end of the day to make sure that the mercury lamp is not going to be turned on for an excessive time.

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