The Cell Biology and Bioimaging Core (CBBC) provides access to state-of-the-art bioimaging, analytical, histological, and flow cytometry related instrumentation and technical support to facilitate data collection and analysis by current and future Pennington PIs and their staff.
The CBBC is loosely divided into three sections – imaging, histology/specimen preparation, and analytical/flow cytometry. The imaging section includes the necessary platforms for confocal microscopy, two-photon confocal microscopy, 3D imaging, brightfield imaging, epi-fluorescent imaging, live cell imaging, ratiometric imaging, total internal reflection fluorescence techniques, and whole slide scanning. Both confocal systems, the TIRF platform, and one epi-fluorescence system are capable of live-cell imaging techniques involving the maintenance of proper temperature and CO2 concentration.
The histology/specimen preparation section of the core houses all the necessary equipment for tissue processing, sectioning, and staining PBRC researchers may need. The core provides access to an automated tissue processor, four cryostats, three rotary microtomes, a sliding microtome, a vibratome, and autostainers for both traditional stains as well as immunohistochemical stains. In addition, the core provides access to a laser microdissection system for the precise collection of single cells or whole tissues from sectioned materials. This platform provides materials that can be further analyzed for either genomic or proteomic methods in nearby core facilities.
The analytical/flow cytometry section includes a fluorometric plate reader equipped with a robotic fluidic system for advanced kinetic studies in multi-well plate formats, an analytical flow cytometer and a new high speed cell sorter (iCYT Reflection) housed in a BSLII lamellar flow hood capable of sorting live animal and human cells at high purity for downstream applications.
Training is available on almost all of the platforms within the CBBC and staff are available for assistance in the development of experimental protocols, data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
The CBBC is partially supported through a COBRE grant (NIH 8P20-GM103528) and NORC (NIH 2P30-DK072476) center grant from the National Institutes of Health.