Review for benchtop confocal microscope: EVOS FL Auto system

April 07, 2015

University of Nebraska Medical Center
Cellular and Integrative Physiology
Graduate Student

Overall

Performance

Ease-of-Optimization

What do these ratings mean?
Write a Review

Company:

Life Technologies (A Thermo Fisher Scientific Brand)

Product Name:

EVOS® FL Auto Cell Imaging System

Catalog Number:

AMAFD1000

My project involves analysis of the physiological role of the endocytic recycling regulator EHD4 in the kidney. EHD4 is expressed in the inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) of the renal nephron, but its function here is unknown. To accurately deduce its function in the kidney, it is important to first know which specific cell type(s) of the IMCD expresses EHD4. This requires studying co-localization of EHD4 with cell specific markers for which a confocal microscope is needed.

Experimental Design and Results Summary

Application

To visualize cells treated with fluoroscent-tagged antibodies to understand location of the protein in the cell.

Starting Material

I used formalin fixed paraffin embedded kidney tissues (4 microns thick slices).

Protocol Overview

Paraffn embedded tissue sections should be subjected to standard immunostaining protocol involving xylene washes, dehydration with 100% ethanol followed by rehydration with dilute ethanol, antigen retrieval and then treatment with primary and secondary antibodies. Imaging is done with EVOS FL Auto Cell Imaging System. It has cubes for GFP, RFP, Texas Red, and DAPI. There are 4X, 10X, 20X, 40X and 60X objective lens available for viewing. 60X lens requires oil immersion.

Tips

All imaging must be done in the dark.

Results Summary

The confocal microscope is very user friendly. The interface is very interactive with options available on computer to allow navigation of slide with mouse (meaning you can navigate through the section from the computer and do not need to keep moving your slide on the microscope). Lasers and channels can be easily adjusted too.

Features Summary

The lens and slide rack can be navigated from the computer.

Additional Notes

None

Image Gallery

Summary

The Good

Very user-friendly, less intimidating for a beginner compared to other available models.

The Bad

Expensive

The Bottom Line

It is a pricey purchase for imaging, but if your lab requires frequent use of a confocal microscope that is low-maintenance then it is a good option to think about.

Join the discussion