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Ian

Do you have an inverted microscope? We image biofims from beneath,
using either chamber slides with coverslip bottoms or small petri
plates with holes and cover slips over the holes:
http://www.glass-bottom-dishes.com/
They're also doing multi-well plates, and they provide free samples.

Phil

>Search the CONFOCAL archive at
>http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
>Dear Listmember,
>         We have a user who wishes to image some archebacteria which
>grow in clusters up to 100 microns in diameter.  One question is:
>do the cells and the spaces between them change in character and
>chemical composition from the outside to the inner parts of the
>cluster.  Thus we need to use an ion probe and take Z-series, but
>the problem is that the clusters are very "squishy" and any movement
>of the standard oil-immersion 60x lens on the coverslip causes the
>shape of even 15um diameter clusters (smaller than the
>coverslip-to-slide distance) to distort.  It appears that the rapid
>Z-step of the lens cause a pressure pulse in the fluid, and thus
>accurate 3D reconstruction is difficult.
>         My question is, would a water immersion lens produce the
>same effects?  I've never used one and it is an expensive item to
>buy - the medium is a fairly concentrated salt solution so Olympus
>might not be too happy about a trial!  Also we may want to vary the
>medium, so can the effects of altered refractive index be
>compensated for?
>         Thanks, Ian.
>
>---Dr. I.E.G.Morrison       [log in to unmask]
>    Dept.Biological Sciences, University of Essex
>    Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ
>---Tel: 01206-872246           Fax: 01206-872592---

--
Philip Oshel
Supervisor, BBPIC microscopy facility
Department of Animal Sciences
University of Wisconsin
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison,  WI  53706
voice: (608) 263-4162
fax: (608) 262-5157 (dept. fax)