This site is intended to provide guidance to users of the CCBB Confocal and Microinjection Core Facility and also general information on confocal microscopy to the public.

Confocal or scanning laser microscopy is a technique that allows detailed investigation of the localization and function of various molecular components within a cell.  It is superior to conventional fluorescent microscopy because the shallow depth of field allows emitted light to be collected from a well defined optical section, virtually eliminating out of focus information, and thereby producing an image with improved clarity and definition.   This is particularly advantageous when studying thick samples such as tissue sections or whole mount embryos, but also generates superior images of fine structures including microtubules, stress fibers, mitochondria and centrosomes. 

Microinjection may be used to introduce DNA, proteins or antibodies into live cells.  Live cell imaging allows immediate phenotypic changes to be viewed in a small number of cells. This would elucidate the roles of specific proteins in cell function, especially when studying acute or transient cellular responses. This technique complements confocal microscopy when the introduced proteins are subsequently analyzed for their localization or effect on cell morphology by scanning laser microscopy