IIBR operates state-of-the-art tools such as a transmission EM (FEI- Tecnai T12),
a scanning EM (FEI - Quanta-FEG) coupled to energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS)
and an innovative confocal microscope, LSM 710 (Zeiss) for diagnostic and research
purposes.
The transmission EM permits observation of organisms and structures at a nanometer
scale. The scanning EM, permits three-dimensional-like imaging of organic and inorganic
materials as well as biological entities on a nano and micrometer scale. Combination
of the scanning capabilities and of EDS spectroscopy, allows the investigation and
characterization of a variety of agents.
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Typical uses of transmission EM
- Negative staining of bacteria and viruses .
- Immuno-EM using gold conjugated antibody targeted to specific bacteria and viruses.
Typical uses of scanning EM
- Visualization of gold-coated particles.
- Visualization of gold conjugated antibody targeted to specific pathogens.
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Typical use of EDS coupled to SEM
- Characterization of organic and inorganic materials from commercial sources and
from in-house synthesis based on image and elemental composition.
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Compared to conventional, wide-field microscopy, confocal microscopy offers significant
advantage in terms of improved lateral (XY) and axial (Z) resolution and the ability
to perform serial optical sections of each specimen.
Typical uses of the confocal microscope include:
- High resolution, 3–D imaging of morphological and sub–cellular features in fixed
or slowly moving live samples.
- Capture of high-speed dynamic processes in live cells.
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