Lab apparatus
By Raymond on Feb 27, 2009 in Lab
Undergraduate Lab at Tsinghua University
Lab apparatus
Brain section
Cross section of fly head (left), and the machine for slicing and embedding the sample (right). Brain section helps to reveal neurodegeneration in neurological diseases and protein spatial expression through immunohistochemistry.
Genetic tools and fluorescent microscopy
With the UAS-GAL4 system and other gene switches, we can easily control, monitor and track the temporal and spatial expression of certain genes by the powerful genetic tools provided by Drosophila. Left shows adult flies brains in which EGFP (Green fluorescent protein) is expressed in the symmetrical L-shaped mushroom body, a structure essential for Drosophila olfactory memory. Right is the fluorescent microscope in our lab, located in a separate small room.
Olfactory learning
We have two behavioral rooms (left), each contains up to 21 robots for Drosophila olfactory training. Aversive training is first done in the training tube of a robot (middle): flies are exposed to Odor A (conditioned stimulus) paired with electric shock (penalty), then to Odor B without electric shock. Trained flies are transferred to a T-maze(right) for assay, in which flies are exposed to Odor A and Odor B at the same time. If the flies have good learning ability or memory, they will tend to stay in Odor B.
Interestingly, if flies receive spaced training (10 cycles of training with rest in between), they will form more long-lasting memory compared with mass training (trainings WITHOUT rests in between). When some students ask me how to do better in exams like GRE, I’ll just tell them the fly’s story.
Electrophysiology
In our lab, electrophysiology is performed on Drosophila larvae neuromuscular junction by voltage clamp.
Molecular and Biochemistry experiments
Of course, tools for Western blot, PCR and similar experiments are essential if we play genetics and biochemistry.
Video camera
Camera helps to track the behavior or route of flies for more objective and convenient computational analysis. A colleague is using that to observe and count the number of male-male courtship events for “schizophrenia fly”. Combined with software like Ftrack and Ctrax, the behavior of flies can be more thoroughly understood, from locomotion to social interaction.
您好!我們是天勝國際股份有限公司,我們于網路上搜索到貴單位從事果蠅學習實驗,對于robots for Drosophila olfactory training以及 T-maze for assay這兩種設備感到相當有興趣,冒昧請教這兩種設備由實驗室所設計的?還是由哪家供應商購買?煩請回覆指教,謝謝!
天勝國際股份有限公司 | Jul 2, 2009 | Reply