Division of Biology and Medicine
BioMed Core Facilities

Microtomes, Critical Point Dryer and Sputter Coater

Ultrathin sectioning for light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy

Overview

Sidney Frank Hall, Rooms 105, 106, 109

The facility maintains equipment for sample preparation, including a Leica EM UC7 Ultramicrotome and Reichert Ultracut E microtome for ultrathin sectioning, a Ladd Research Industries critical point dryer, an Emitech K100X glow discharge unit, and an Emitech K550 sputter coater. The microtome is used for cutting 1-5 um sections for light microscopy and 60-90 nm sections for transmission electron microscopy. The critical point dryer and sputter coater are used to prepare samples for scanning electron microscopy.

NEW! Leica UC7 Ultramicrotome

The Leica EM UC7 Ultramicrotome was installed in 2020 and provides unique capabilities in trimming and ultrathin sectioning.  The microtome is used to prepare samples for transmission electron microscopy and serial block-face imaging on the scanning electron microscope.

Leica EM UC7 Ultramicrotome provides easy preparation of semi- and ultrathin sections as well as perfect, smooth surfaces of biological and industrial samples for TEM, SEM, AFM and Light microscopy examination.

The precision mechanics, ergonomic design, and intuitive layout of the touchscreen control unit make the Leica EM UC7 ideal for the highest quality specimen preparation. 

  • Knife usage monitoring
  • Broad feed range from 1 nm up to 15 µm
  • Fully motorized knife stage and AutoTrim function
  • Temperature range from +110°C to -185°C

Reservations

Microscopes in the Bioimaging Facility can be reserved using iLab calendars. All facility users are invited to use the system, which requires a one-time registration.

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