*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hi John,

What about some small pond creatures slowed down in the usual goop - I've
forgotten what it's called, probably based on glycerol.  Something
recognisable as an organism - pollen is good, too, as suggested, and doesn't
need to be slowed down.  Pond life usually has some autofluorescence, or can
be stained lightly, and people can compare the dissector image (often a
small swimming dot) with details on the confocal.

Cleared and stained insect heads are pretty good on the confocal too.  Some
spectacular images from groups here are the nervous systems of various
creatures - even the nematode nervous system is beautiful.  These have
various FP-expression to highlight different systems, mostly olfactory,
given the interests of our colleagues in entomology.

I've found that people are interested that chlorophyll fluoresces red - and
if you also have a GFP torch and yellow glasses and can show them red (and
GFP-green) fluorescing plants in a dark alcove, that's usually pretty
interesting.  You do sometimes get the anti-GM questions, though, and if
your regulatory environment is anything like it is here, you'd have to do it
in a PC2 facility....  Alternatively, you can show the brighter red patches
in green and white variegated leaves.

cheers,
Rosemary

Dr Rosemary White
CSIRO Plant Industry
GPO Box 1600
Canberra, ACT 2601
Australia

T 61 2 6246 5475
F 61 2 6246 5334
E [log in to unmask]


On 29/01/11 4:10 AM, "John Runions" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
> 
> Dear microscopists,
> 
> Each year at our university Science Bazaar we demonstrate our imaging
> 'prowess' and equipment to the community at large (adults and kids).  This
> event is always well received and the biggest attraction of all is usually
> the dissecting microscopes because we let the kids look at their disgusting
> fingernails and they like that.  SEMs work well because we can show head
> lice and rats tongue and... well you are probably starting to see a theme.
> 
> The problem is giving a really good demo with the confocal microscopes - we
> show GFP labelled organelles moving around inside living cells and demos of
> 3D reconstruction but this doesn't really seem to capture the kids
> imaginations.
> 
> Does anybody have a favorite organism or staining technique that is simple
> and effective as a demo in a situation where lots of people are moving
> through fairly quickly.
> 
> I appreciate your suggestions.
> 
> John