A Becton Dickinson FACSVantage SE, dual laser flow cytometer is available for cell-surface and intracellular antigen fluorescence phenotypic analysis, DNA measurement, cell sorting and cloning, and kinetics analysis of Ca 2+ modulation; forward and right angle light scatter and up to three colors can be analyzed simultaneously. FACS doublet discrimination software insures accuracy of cell cycle analysis. Two confocal laser scanning microscopes, a Meridian ACAS 570 and a Leica TCS SP2, are available for fluorescence analysis of tissue sections and adherent cells; up to three-colors can be visualized simultaneously on the 3-laser TCS SP2 as well as volume rendering (3-D reconstruction) of Z-sections. A TCS workstation with full LCS (Leica confocal software) provides off-line data analysis. A third, non-confocal, Olympus BX-50 fluorescence microscope is available for observation of such standard fluorochromes as DAPI, FITC, and TRITC. Images from the BX-50 are acquired with an Optronics cooled CCD camera; Adobe Photoshop® 6.0 is available for image analysis and a QMS Magicolor 2 for laser prints. An Olympus SZX12 stereo zoom microscope is housed in the same laboratory. A Molecular Devices Cytosensor microphysiometer is useful in signal transduction detection and a PTI microscope-based photometer is capable of dual excitation/single emission fluorescence detection. A Shandon cytocentrifuge is available when techniques require suspended cells to be deposited on slides for subsequent staining. The laboratory also houses tissue culture facilities including a laminar flow hood, CO2 water-jacketed incubator and centrifuge. 

This core unit is a resource for teaching, consulting, collaborating and service activities in health outcomes research, epidemiology, research methods and design, biostatistics, database development and computer applications.