http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Re-Confocal-calibration-performance-assesment-vendor-response-tp7587243p7587249.html
Another option is Schott filter glass, available from many places. It
happens to be fluorescent and stable. The different colored filters
provide different fluorescent peak wavelengths. There was a nice paper
J Choquette, Anne L Plant, and John T Elliott. “An Automated Protocol
/Cytometry Part A/ 85, no. 11 (2014): 978–85.
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy> Post images on
http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Dear listserv,
>
> Fluor-Ref slides ... pick up a box or case from Chroma at a conference.
>
> As for Thermo: how about giving away THIN fluorescent plastic
> specimens .. can include your logo (and no, it would not fall under
> the category of pens or coffee cups that you can no longer give out to
> U.S. academic medical center staff).
>
> Back to Chroma slides ... if not going to 'Neuo' or 'Cell Bio', and
> cannot wait for M&M 8/2018 in Baltimore, as an alternative you can use
> a brightly colored clipboard(s). Come ot think of it, Thermo could
> give out branded clipboards as big reference slides.
>
> enjoy,
>
> George
>
>
> On 9/1/2017 1:26 PM, Kilgore, Jason A. wrote:
>> *****
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy>> Post images on
http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your
>> posting.
>> *****
>>
>>
>> ** Vendor response **
>>
>> Hi, Javier,
>>
>> For a uniform fluorescence standard, I recommend the Fluor-Ref
>> slides. These are sold or re-sold by various places and are fairly
>> inexpensive. These are plastic slides that are autofluorescent in
>> four different wavelengths and are incredibly uniform and
>> photostable. The drawbacks are that they are extremely bright, so
>> much so that you often either have to throw in neutral density
>> filters or image an off-wavelength slide. Also, they are thicker than
>> a standard slide. Here's the webpage from Ted Pella:
>>
http://www.tedpella.com/histo_html/fluor.htm.aspx or resold as a set
>> of four from Fisher Scientific:
>>
https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/NC0158348/nc0158348#?keyword=FLUOR-REF+SET+OF+4+SLIDES>>
>> There are other published methods for uniformity slides (such as a
>> simple solution of fluorescein under a coverslip, or putting dye in
>> agar) or labeling coated slides, but nothing comes close to the
>> Fluor-Ref slides for photostability, storage stability, and
>> uniformity of intensity.
>>
>> There is a good and fairly inexpensive option for some of the other
>> needs you mention: FocalCheck microspheres slides. There are
>> different slides, but probably Slide #1 is best for your needs,
>> catalog F36909. The top row has options where you align rings of
>> different colors to check alignment, or rings and cores of the
>> microspheres. There are also TetraSpeck beads of three different
>> sizes (4, 1, and 0.5 um) that are broadly fluorescent, which you can
>> use for PSF as well as alignment. The bottom row has 6um beads of
>> five different relative intensities, for doing intensity calibrations.
>> Webpage from Thermo Fisher Scientific:
>>
https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/F36909>> Manual:
>>
https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/LSG/manuals/mp36909.pdf>>
>> We sell fluorescent beads of smaller sizes, too, if you need them
>> (such as 20 nm) of different wavelengths, for PSF measures.
>>
>> I hope this helps, but please feel free to contact me offline if you
>> wish more info (such as a PowerPoint I have showing images from that
>> last slide).
>>
>> Jason
>>
>>
>> Jason A. Kilgore
>> Technical Application Scientist
>> Molecular Probes / EVOS Tech Support
>> Thermo Fisher Scientific
>> 1-800-955-6288 then option 4, then option 3, then option 2.
>> Or dial direct at +1 541 335 0353
>>
[hidden email]
>> This communication is intended solely for the individual/entity to
>> whom it is addressed. It may contain confidential or legally
>> privileged information. Any unauthorized disclosure or copying is
>> prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this
>> communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and
>> delete it from your system.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Confocal Microscopy List
>> [mailto:
[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Fco. Javier
>> Díez Guerra
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2017 5:10 AM
>> To:
[hidden email]
>> Subject: Confocal calibration & performance assesment
>>
>> *****
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy>> Post images on
http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your
>> posting.
>> *****
>>
>> Dear confocalists,
>>
>> I would like to know about the preferred methods used by facility
>> managers to regularly asses the performance of their confocal (and
>> wide-field) microscopes. In other words, which are the most used and
>> reliable methods to check different features of confocal and
>> wide-field microscope peformance?.
>>
>> Particularly, we'd like to check:
>>
>> - illumination uniformity across FOV, now we use a slide coated with
>> fluorescent secondary antibody.
>>
>> - XYZ Chromatic aberration (exciting 405, 488, 561 and 640 nm), now
>> we use 1um beads that can be excited with all laser lines.
>>
>> - XYZ Resolution, we use smaller beads (0,17um) to build and analyze
>> PSFs (for each wavelength)
>>
>> - Laser power and stability: for power, we use a power meter from
>> Newport placed at the objective exit, for stability, we capture long
>> time-series in reflexion mode with an empty preparation.
>>
>> - We do not know how to check detector (PMT, GAsP, Hybrid, etc)
>> sensitivity and SNR.
>>
>> Thanks for your input.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Fco. Javier Diez-Guerra, PhD
>>
>> Profesor Titular UAM
>> Servicio de Microscopía Confocal
>> Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa C/ Nicolás Cabrera, 1
>> Campus de Cantoblanco
>> 28049 Madrid
>> SPAIN
>>
>> Tel +34 91 196 4612
>> e-mail:
[hidden email]
>
Silas J. Leavesley, Ph.D.