Microscopy

Nikon Eclipse E-600 Research Light Microscope (LM)

Research light microscope used for multi-mode imaging including fluorescence and phase contrast — The Nikon Eclipse E-600 light microscope facilitates image capture with brightfield, epifluorescence, differential interference contrast, and phase contrast controls.

Brightfield microscopy image of filamentous green algae culture — Brightfield image captured by Xuehuan Feng, featuring conjugating green algae with unbranched filaments (Zygnema circumcarinatum).

Fluorescence microscopy image showing chloroplast structure in algae cells — Green fluorescence image captured by Xuehuan Feng, featuring star-shaped chloroplast morphology in green algae (Zygnema circumcarinatum).

Differential interference contrast image of cultured mammalian cells — DIC image captured by Paige Bothwell, featuring EMT6 cells, a murine mammary carcinoma cell line, growing as a monolayer.

Our Nikon Eclipse E-600 LM is outfitted with standard brightfield visualization, epifluorescence filter sets (UV-2B, UV-2E/C, BFP, GFP, YFP, TRITC HYQ), differential interference contrast (DIC), phase contrast, multiple Plan Fluor and Plan Apo objectives ranging from 1X to 100X (oil), and two imaging systems: Nikon DS-Fi1c color digital camera with NIS-Elements software and Hamamatsu ORCA-ER monochrome CCD camera with HCImage Live software.

Leica MZ7.5 Stereo Microscope

Stereo microscope used for dissection, imaging, and macro-scale biological observation — The Leica MZ7.5 Stereo Microscope can be used to perform delicate surgical procedures, capture digital images of biological macrostructures and record video footage of live organisms.

Stereomicroscope image of coral polyps under magnification — Stereomicroscope image captured by Austin Parrin, featuring coral polyps (genus: Acrossota).

Our Leica MZ7.5 stereo microscope is outfitted with a Leica MC170 HD color digital camera, Leica Application Suite image capture and optimization software and a LAS MultiTime timelapse capture mode that can generate video files (.avi).

Zeiss LSM 5 Pascal Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM)

Confocal laser scanning microscope used for fluorescence and high-resolution optical sectioning — The Zeiss LSM 5 Pascal confocal laser scanning microscope facilitates image capture with argon and HeNe lasers, brightfield, epifluorescence, differential interference contrast and phase contrast controls.

Fluorescence microscopy image of stained cultured human cells — Split red/green fluorescence, DIC and overlay images captured by Paige Bothwell, featuring SK Hep cells, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, stained with acridine orange.

This older confocal microscope is equipped with 10X, 40X (oil), and 63X (oil) Plan Neofluar objectives, argon (458, 488, 514 nm) and HeNe (543 nm) lasers, and Zeiss LSM 5 Pascal image acquisition software.

Zeiss LSM 900 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope with Airyscan 2

Please note: Linda Yasui is solely responsible for the management of the Zeiss LSM 900 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope with Airyscan 2. Please contact lyasui@niu.edu for questions regarding operations, specifications or scheduling.

Additional Microscopy Resources

Nikon MicroscopyU website
Transmission electron microscopy equipment:
- Reichert-Jung SuperNova Ultramicrotome
- Reichert OmU2 Ultramicrotome
- Sorvall Porter-Blum MT2-B Ultramicrotomes (2)
- LKB Glass Knifemaker
Light microscopy support equipment:
- AO T/P 8000 Automated Tissue Processor with Tissue-Tek II Paraffin Dispenser
- AO Spencer 820 Microtomes (3)
- Lab-Line Slide Warmer
- Lab-Line and Tissue-Tek tissue flotation baths
- AO Knife Sharpener

Facility Details

Director

Barrie Bode, Ph.D.
Core Lab Director
Professor, Biological Sciences
bodebp@niu.edu

Location

BIOS Research Instrumentation Core (BRIC) and Core Microscopy Facility (CMF)
Montgomery Hall
Rooms 112, 113, 115, 116 and 119

Research

Contact Us

Department of Biological Sciences
Montgomery Hall 349
815-753-1753
815-753-0461 (fax)

General questions can be directed to kmeyer5@niu.edu.

Student enrollment questions can be directed to sfarley@niu.edu.

Graduate Advising

Undergraduate Advising