What we do

The Confocal Microscopy Platform is a biomedical research support platform. The main function is to offer both the appropriate tools and advice on experimental design to the user. All this for both fixed and live samples, facilitating the use of bright-field or fluorescence microscopes with which to analyze the morphological and structural characteristics of cells, tissues, subcellular organelles and non-biological samples, as well as to carry out different types of functional tests.
It also provides assistance in sample preparation, equipment management, data analysis and experimental design.

Who we are

Contact mail: microscopia@santpau.cat

Esther Peña Sendra

Head of the Microscopy Platform

Josep Oriol Juan Babot, PhD

Senior technician

Mònica Pescador

Laboratory technician

Equipment

Leica SP5 AOBS multispectral confocal with high-resolution scanning and high-speed tandem digitization system, FLIM/FCS modules and time-lapse incubation system.

Leica SP2 AOBS multispectral confocal with high-resolution scanning and high-speed tandem digitization system, and time-lapse incubation system

Zeiss AXIOVERT 200M inverted fluorescence microscope with temperature and CO₂ control, with incubation chamber that allows working with live cells in both fluorescence and bright field. Equipped with fluorescence filters: DAPI, FITC, Rhodamine. Equipped with polarizers that allow polarized light imaging with all the following objectives:
- 5X/0.15 Plan-Neofluar Ph1 – Yes DIC II Ph1
- 10X/0.30 Plan-Neofluar Ph1 – Yes DIC II Ph1
- 20X/0.50 Plan-Neofluar Ph2 – Yes DIC II Ph2
- 40X/0.75 Plan-Neofluar Ph2 – Yes DIC II Ph2
- 63X/1.4 Oil Plan-Apochromat Ph3 (Oil)

Olympus BX51 fluorescence microscope with dual head. Equipped with fluorescence filters: DAPI, FITC, TRITC, TXRED. With the objectives:
- 2x Plan N 0.06 ∞/-/FN22
- 4x Plan N 0.10 ∞/-/FN22
- 10x Plan N/0.25 ∞/-/FN22
- 20x Plan N 0.40BD ∞/0.17/FN22 UIS 2
- 40x Plan N 0.65 FN22
- 100x UPlan FLN 1.3 oil-UIS2 ∞/0.17/FN26.5

Nikon Eclipse 80i microscope. Equipped with fluorescence filters: FITC, G-1B (546), FITC-CY3. With the objectives:
- Plan Fluor 4X/0.13 ∞/- nd17.1
- Plan Fluor 10x/0.3 PH1 DLL∞/- Wd16
- Plan Fluor 20x/0.5 PH1 DLL∞/0.17 Wd2.1
- Plan Fluor 40X/0.75 PH2 DLL∞/0.17WD0.72
- Plan Apo VC 60x/1.4 oil∞/0.17WD0.13

Stand for macro photography with illumination:

LEICA MZ 9.5 stereomicroscope:

Leica M205 FA fluorescence stereoscopic microscope, equipped with fluorescence filters: DAPI, GFP3, DsRED. Motorized zoom, filter changer and fluorescence intensity manager:

Services

Services offered by the Microscopy Platform:

• Advice on the preparation and/or approach to studies
• Training in the use of instruments
• Image analysis
• Conventional fluorescence or bright-field microscopy of live, fixed cells and tissues. Conventional microscopes (Nikon, Olympus) and inverted (Zeiss)
• Image acquisition with filters for: bright field, phase contrast, polarized light and differential interference contrast
• Image acquisition with fluorescent markers: DAPI, GFP, YFP, Texas Red and far red
• Time-lapse in fluorescence microscopy with incubation chamber with temperature, CO₂ and humidity control for cell culture experiments (Zeiss)
• High-resolution fluorescence microscopy using confocal microscopy across the entire visible spectrum (λ excit: 405, 458, 488, 514, 561 and 633 nm) with motorized stage. Time-lapse with incubation chamber with temperature, CO₂ and humidity control for cell culture experiments
• Anatomopathological studies of different tissues, stained by conventional immunohistochemistry (frozen or paraffin) and image quantification
• Organoid studies with fluorescence
• Preparation of samples of both live and fixed cells, as well as cryofrozen or paraffin tissues
• Supply of reagents and consumables

Training

Advanced training courses in the use and application of cytometers and MACSQuantify software
Continuing education in cytometry data analysis and acquisition