Microscopy

With access to industry-leading imaging technologies, RxCelerate can offer clients a new perspective on their research.  We use multicolour fluorescence confocal microscopy to deliver high-resolution images of tissues and cells.  For phenotypic screening, RxCelerate uses automated high content imaging platforms such as the IN Cell analyser to capture hundreds of images effortlessly.  This technology is underpinned by RxCelerate’s experienced in vitro scientists who can design, optimise and deliver imaging protocols for even the most complex requests. 

Following image acquisition, our scientists can develop robust image processing macros and analysis pipelines to extract quantifiable data from microscopy images. 

To complement this, we have a unique network of industry-leading histopathologists to ensure accurate interpretation of human and animal tissues.  RxCelerate’s unique imaging capabilities can help augment and enhance your drug discovery programme.

Intravital microscope (IVM)

RxCelerate has an intravital microscope (IVM) capability enabling dynamic microscopy of living organisms.   This fluorescence microscopy system is purpose made by Intelligent Imaging Innovations (3i).

The system incorporates an ablation laser that enables controlled and accurate tissue damage via the microscope optics.  The system is ideally suited for live imaging vascular beds including cremaster and cerebral microvasculature (via cranial windows) and for imaging larger vessels including the femoral and carotid arteries.  The pulsed laser ablation of blood vessels can initiate endothelial wall damage and cause the initiation of a thrombus formation within the vessel.  The dynamic propagation of this thrombus can be followed by bright field illumination or by fluorescence with suitably labelled tags on constitutive components of the thrombus e.g. platelets and fibrin. The quality of this system is such that the combination of high sensitivity and the high rate of data capture enables accurate measurement of this dynamic event and is ideally suited to the investigation of pathologies and therapies of animal models where the clotting profile is abnormal.

Click on this mp4 movie to see the real time formation of a thrombus in a mouse cremaster arteriole after pulsed laser photoablation of the vessel wall.

You can see the vessel spasm in response to the heat generated by the laser pulse and the immediate adherence of platelets (in green).  These platelets initially sloth off from the clot into the blood flow but as the thrombus becomes more mature and the fibrin (orange) accumulates the haemostasis becomes more stable and the now activated platelets form a cap.   The components and time course of these events can be accurately mapped and represents an ideal model to study blood clotting pathologies and treatment.

The system is controlled by 3i’s own Slidebook software that enables powerful image acquisition and analysis.  Other cardiovascular applications include cellular migration and tracking e.g. leukocyte rolling and endothelial adhesion in microvessels.