Cell and Tissue Imaging Center



The Cell and Tissue Imaging (CTI) Center represents the merger of two previous Shared Resources, the Scientific Imaging Shared Resource and the Cell Microinjection and Live Cell Imaging Shared Resource. The CTI is a centralized, highly specialized shared resource available to all St. Jude investigators. The CTI provides expertise in transmission electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, image analysis, cell microinjection, and live cell imaging.

The Cell and Tissue Imaging Center comprises two divisions: the Electron Microscopy Facility and the Light Microscopy Facility.

Electron Microscopy Facility

The Electron Microscopy Facility of the Cell and Tissue Imaging Center is a highly specialized resource utilizing advanced techniques in electron microscopy imaging. The newly renovated facility encompasses approximately 1800 square feet on the Plaza Level of the Danny Thomas Research Tower. A FEI Tecnai G² F20-TWIN transmission electron microscope with a Field Emission Gun and capabilities up to 200 kV has been added to the facility. This scope gives researchers the ability to do automated tomography, low dose exposure, fast spot scan, and photomontage. It is equipped with an Eagle camera that is sensitive enough for cryo TEM. This system is designed to be easily upgraded to meet changing technological needs. The Jeol 1200 EX II electron microscope has also been upgraded with a new 11 megapixel AMT camera. The facility also has several new state of the art pieces of equipment to allow sophisticated procedures such as freeze substitution and cryo immuno. Automated equipment has also been added to enhance the workflow.

The following staff members are available to assist with the hospital’s imaging needs: Sharon Frase, Director of Electron Microscopy, Linda Mann, Jackie Williams and Fara Sudlow.

Light Microscopy Facility

Confocal Microscopy

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) provides a simple, rapid and lower-resolution (~0.5 μm) alternative to Electron Microscopy to obtain optical sections through a fixed specimen (tomography). This methodology enables simultaneous localization of up to three proteins using fluorochrome-coupled antibodies. The resolution achieved by CLSM is sufficient to localize protein distribution in nucleus, cytoplasm and subcellular organelles. The CLSM coupled with the Image Analysis system permits relative intensity measurements of fluorochromes in different subcellular compartments.

Microinjection Microscopy

Cell Microinjection (CM) allows introduction of precise amounts of foreign material into specific regions on individual living adherent cells and subsequent monitoring of the biological effects of this material by either light or fluorescence microscopy in real time.

The CM service personnel will inject DNA, RNA, oligonucleotides, proteins, drugs or any other small material into any type of adherent cell the investigator requires. The optimal conditions for microinjection of protein and DNA have been established for approximately 15 different cell lines that are commonly used by various members of the Cancer Center, thereby decreasing the time required to obtain experimental data. However, conditions can be customized for any other adherent cell type an investigator may require. The facility also assists with the analysis of the injected cells.

Multiphoton Microscopy

Multiphoton (or 2-photon) microscopy (MPM) was invented in 1989 and since has become a powerful tool in the analysis of fixed or live thick and live specimens (e.g., embryos, cultured organs, tissue slices etc). MPM uses packets of two photons of long wavelength light (infra-red range) delivered as femtosecond pulses to excite the fluorochrome. The infrared laser in MPM provides several advantages. First, the excitation is limited to the tiny area where the laser is focused thus limiting photodamage to a small fraction of the specimen. Second, the long wavelength light can penetrate deeper into the specimen (without the scatter characteristic of short wavelength light) thus allowing imaging of specimens up to 0.5mm in thickness. Third, the infrared laser allows imaging of fluorescence in the UV range because both red excitation light and blue fluorescence are within the visible spectrum.

The following staff members comprise the Light Microscopy Facility: Samuel Connell, Director of Light Microscopy, Lingqing Zhang, PhD, and Simon Moshiach, PhD.


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