Departmental Core Facilities

Core Director: Charles S. Chung, Ph.D.

The Department of Physiology maintains a VisualSonics Vevo2100 Small Animal Ultrasound System.  Probes suitable for imaging of cardiovascular function and anatomical structures in mice (40MHz center frequency) and rats (21MHz center frequency) are available.  The lower frequency probe can also be used to image high velocity constrictions (for Transverse Aortic Constriction models in mice.  Heated physiologic monitoring stages (ECG, respiratory rate, temperature) are used for imaging isoflurane anesthetized mice.
Standard echocardiographic measurements include long-axis B-mode, short-axis B-mode, short-axis M-mode, and aortic flow (ascending and arch).  Diastolic function including transmitral Doppler and Tissue Doppler Imaging are available, along with right ventricular functional measurements.  Advanced measurements including coronary and pulmonary vein flow are also available.  Vascular measures, including vessel areas and flow are also available, along with quantification using VisualSonics VevoVasc software.  Core staff have experience in ultrasound imaging of diaphragm functional and of the liver and kidney anatomy.  Conscious echocardiography is also available to evaluate in vivo contractility at physiologic heart rates.
Core services are generally available at no cost to Primary Physiology Faculty.  Contact the Core Director for a consultation and to discuss availability.

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Core Director: Patrick Mueller, Ph.D.

The Department of Physiology's Histology Core contains a ThermoFischer HM 550 Cryostat capable of sectioning tissue at various subzero temperatures.  Section thickness can be varied from single microns to several hundred microns.  The available Vacutome option keeps the cryostat free of contaminant tissue (important in RNA work) and allows for disposal of unwanted sections.  The Vacutome is also useful for reducing curling of tissue for immunohistochemsity or in situ hybridization studies, and is valuable for sectiong tissue for later laser capture microdissection.

The Histology Core has also made available for use a standard brightfield Nikon Eclipse Ci compound microscope with 2X, 10X, 20X, 40X objectives and a Spot Insight Color Camera for viewing and capturing digital images. 

Orientation and prior sign-up is required for use of all equipment and can be arrange through Dr. Mueller (pmueller@med.wayne.edu).  Until further notice, equipment is available free of charge (minus own materials) to all Physiology personnel.  Costs to those individuals outside the Department will be assessed on a case by case basis

Core Director: Donal O'Leary, Ph.D.

Core Director: Robert Wessells, Ph.D.

The Quantitative (Q) PCR Facility includes machines for end-point PCR and quantitative RT-PCR. qRT-PCR usable with SYBR-Green or TaqMan detection. 96-wells available. Dedicated computer for machine control and quantitation is located next to qRT-PCR machine. Requires either Opti-clear film cover for plates or Opti-clear capped strips.