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| Co-directors: Dr. Jonathan M. Links and Dr. Kathy Gabrielson Overview
The overall objective of this unified In Vitro and In Vivo Imaging and Analysis Facility Core is to provide in vitro (histopathology and cell imaging) and in vivo (nuclear medicine imaging) services, so that pathophysiological and toxicological investigations will be backed by a combination of morphological and functional data at the cellular, tissue, organ system, and organism levels. This facility core provides: (a) a wide range of (in vitro) histological and cytological services; (b) Center-based (in vivo) nuclear medicine imaging; (c) digital image processing and analysis, (d) photographic and digital image hard-copy production; and (e) professional consultation to NIEHS Center members and those in their laboratories.
Through this facility core, Center Investigators also have cost-effective access to equipment and services available through the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Microscopic Facility for in vitro imaging, and the Department of Radiology for in vivo imaging. The Core Facility directors and staff also keep abreast of new developments in histopathology, cell imaging, digital photography, and structural (CT, MRI) and functional (SPECT, PET, fMRI) in vivo imaging techniques to help Center Investigators choose and develop the appropriate techniques for their research projects, analyze and interpret their data, and ultimately organize and prepare their results for publication and presentation. The unified Core Facility is co-directed by Dr. Jonathan M. Links, Professor, Environmental Health Sciences and Dr. Kathy Gabrielson, Assistant Professor, Comparative Medicine. Dr. Arthur Dannenberg, Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, Brian Schofield, Research Associate, Environmental Health Sciences, and Kenneth Brenneman, CNMT remain as part of the Core Facility. Core Director and Members
Dr. Jonathan Links
Co-Director and Professor
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Dr. Arthur Dannenberg
Co-Director and Professor
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Dr. Kathy Gabrielson
Co-Director and Assistant Professor
Comparative Medicine
Johns Hopkins University Dr. Kathleen Gabrielson
Co-Director and Assistant Professor
Comparative Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Dr. Brian Schofield
Manager and Research Associate
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Equipment and Facilities
The Cell and Tissue Core Facility is located in Rooms W7308 and W7312 of the Bloomberg School (total 800 sq. ft.). Equipment available to Center members is listed below: - pH meter
- Chemical fume hood for specific fixing, embedding, and staining procedures
- Vacuum oven for embedding procedures
- Leica EM tissue processor for plastic embedding
- Microm HM500 cryostat (New 2003)
- Zeiss microtome (Model 350) for sectioning plastic-embedded tissues
- Microm 355S microtome for preparing paraffin sections (New 2003)
- Nikon microscope (Labophot 2)
- Olympus BHT binocular microscope equipped for video analysis, photography, and fluorescence microscopy
- Olympus BX60 microscope with phase contrast ,multi-color epifluorescence illumination, and digital camera
- Nikon TS100 inverted microscope with phase contrast, fluorescence, and digital camera (NEW 2003)
- Bausch and Lomb binocular stereo dissecting microscope
- Olympus stereo microscope
- Panasonic and Optronics video camera and personal computer used to acquire and store images and analyze data. Each computer has digital analysis and image editing software for presentation of morphometric and photographic data
- High resolution Spot and CoolSnap digital cameras
- Olympus photomicroscopy 35mm camera
- Hewlett Packard Ink Jet printer
- Canon ink jet color printer
- Image Analysis Software, Media Cybernetics Image Pro, v 4.5
Usage and Benefits
The In Vitro and In Vivo Imaging and Analysis Core Facility provides expertise and state-of-the-art technical services for histological and cytological analyses, as well as presentation of the data in a visual or quantitative format. Although the major objective of the Core is to provide facilities, training and advice to Center Investigators interested in conducting histopathological, immunocytochemical and microscopic studies as part of their research, the Core staff also provides technical assistance in the development and optimization of histopathological and morphometric techniques, including the following: Sample preparation
- Fixation of cells or tissues
- Freezing of cells or tissues
- Embedding of samples in glycol-methacrylate for light microscopy
- Embedding of samples in epoxy for electron microscopy
- Sectioning of frozen samples in a cryostat
- Sectioning of embedded samples using a microtome or ultramicrotome Sample processing
- Immunostaining of cultured cells and tissues
- Enzyme histochemistry (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, HRP)
- In situ hybridization in cultured cells or tissue sections
- Histological staining including both standard stains such as H&E or Nissl and more custom stains such as catecholamine fluorescence and acetylcholinesterase histochemistry Microscopy
- Bright light microscopy
- Epifluorescence microscopy
- Phase contrast microscopy
- Photomicroscopy
- Imaging
- Video-imaging and image processing
- Quantitative image analysis such as morphometric analysis of cultured cells, quantification of
immune cells in inflamed tissues, etc.
- Image archiving and printing of publication-quality images
The most commonly used services in the Facility include histopathological and immunocytochemical analyses, and computerized image analysis. The latter includes video imaging, image processing, quantitative morphometric image analysis, and printing of color and gray scale images. Digital imaging and image archiving have resulted in a dramatic decrease in the time and monetary costs associated with standard histological and cytological analyses.
There has been little need for paraffin sections because of the superior quality of plastic sections. However, paraffin sections are now increasingly needed for certain immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization procedures. In these instances, it is most cost-effective for us to have the tissues paraffin-embedded for a small fee in the Division of Comparative Medicine of our Medical School because of the cost of paraffin processing equipment. The sectioning and staining of these tissues are then performed in our Core Facility.
The Core Facility has added to the breadth and depth of numerous research projects by providing histopathological and immunocytochemical services and expertise not readily available elsewhere. In addition to preparing samples for histological and cytological analyses, the faculty and staff of the Core Facility provide expert knowledge and training in these techniques. Specifically, through the Core Facility, Center Investigators can receive assistance with experimental design and data interpretation, and the Core Facility staff will train principal investigators, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and technicians in histopathology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and image analysis. The Core Facility also provides free access to histology, microscopy and imaging equipment. Thus, the Core Facility supports Center Research Cores by enabling studies of cell and tissue pathology that would not be readily accessible to Center Investigators.
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