Imaging Services – BIDMC

(Service only – no training or independent use of equipment)

Services: Sample receipt, grossing, cassetting, and processing of tissues, cells, or organoids for paraffin histology or for frozen sectioning. Consultation for pre-experiment methods, post-processing orientation, and/or special staining. Labeling of slides, paraffin or frozen block sectioning, staining with histology stains or special stains, including Alcian Blue, Masson Trichrome, Oil-Red-O, PAS, Sirius Red, Toluidine Blue, and Alcian Blue/PAS. Blank slides cut for immunostaining and passed-on (if needed) to the immunostaining service in Core B. Slides are boxed for transport and tissue blocks are returned to the investigator for storage. Special processing for specialized project aims or histology stains are available in the core.

Services: Independent use of confocal instrumentation with an upright or inverted LSM880 confocal system with Fast Airyscan. The inverted platform LSM880 is set-up for live cell imaging. Fee-for-service may be available if arranged in advance with the core director.

Services: The Axioimager is used for to screen fluorescence signal prior to doing confocal microscopy; take digital images of samples that do not need to be evaluated by confocal microscopy; document, in either black/white or color, structures or pathology found in stained paraffin sections.

Services: Image processing, analysis, and data storage/management.

Services: Pre-experiment consultation for methods and for proper fixation techniques. Receipt of samples (sometimes assisting with sample collection) followed by grossing and processing of tissues, suspended cells, bacteria, cultured cells, organoids, exosomes, and/or isolated proteins. Review of sections for tissue orientation and histopathology, thin sectioning, production and use of formvar- and carbon-coated grids, contrast staining, and evaluation of the sample using the JEOL 1400 electron microscope. Brief discussion of results (consultation) and transfer of image data files to the customer (no storage). Beyond routine transmission EM, Core B offers negative staining, high pressure freezing, and image analysis. We completed our workflow development and training for FIB/SEM in the past grant cycle and are now ready to provide service to HDDC members.

Services: Pre-experiment consultation and consultation prior to antibody purchase. Pre-antibody testing/optimization with new antibodies. Immunostaining fee-for-service work in 8 different categories:

1. Immunoperoxidase (IPOX) using frozen sections
2. Labeling of frozen sections using a single fluorescence label
3. Labeling of frozen sections using multiple fluorescence labels
4. IPOX-Paraffin sections
5. Fluorescence TUNEL staining using paraffin sections
6. Fluorescence-single label using paraffin sections
7. Fluorescence-multi-label using paraffin sections
8. IPOX TUNEL using paraffin sections