Live cell imaging on a Leica TCS SP5 confocal/MP with SuperZ stage

[Fernando Avila-Rencoret]

Search the CONFOCAL archive at http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal To whom it may concern, I was wondering to get some recommendations/options about the following issue: We want to perform live cell imaging in our Leica TCS SP5 confocal/MP microscope with SuperZ stage (Galvo z) with high N.A. Objectives (1.3 and 1.4 water and oil) -Our microscope is already inside an environmental chamber with heating capabilities (“box” and “cube” from Live Imaging Services, http://www.lis.ch/) -We want to get an incubator chamber to be used on the stage, in order to have fine sensing and tuning of temperature, CO2 and humidity. -The main problem is that the SuperZ stage (Leica Cat. Number 15650 4100) is designed for insert/chambers up to 180-200 grams We want to buy all the components required: 1. Chamber/s (that fits our stage) 2. Inserts and heating plates (with controlled temperature) for: -Universal for 35 mm Petri dishes and little plates. -Multiwell plates (6, 12, 24 wells). -Coverslips 1. Adaptor/s to fit the chamber to our SuperZ stage. 2. Probes for temperature, CO2 and humidity inside the chamber 3. Objective heaters (non-rigid preferably) 4. Temperature controller 5. CO2 controller (we want to use 100% CO2 tanks) 6. Humidity controller (RH%, to perform more than 10 hours of live cell imaging) The best would be and integrated system, as the following examples: * http://www.pathologydevices.com/LiveCell.htm * http://www.wafergen.com/smartslide/products.htm * http://www.oko-lab.com/39.page * GSI (GARUBANOSUTEJI) chamber, from Tokaihit, Japanese (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tokaihit.com%2Fjapanese%2Fproduct%2520guidance%2Fstagetopincbator%2Finverted%2Findex.html%2310&hl=en&ie=UTF8&sl=ja&tl=en) Some questions: * Are your chambers lightweight enough (less than 200g)? If not: * Do you sell the controllers alone (Temp/CO2/HR%)? * Can you machine a customizable chamber to fit our needs? * Can you please send me a complete quotation? We want to purchase the components as soon as possible, I look forward to getting your response and quotation, Thanks in advance, -- Fernando Avila-Rencoret, MD Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA, USA Fax: [phone]