LMB 365 – Day 218

Emmanuel Derivery’s group in the LMB’s Cell Biology Division uses bacteria to express proteins of interest. They also modify them, in this case making the protein fluorescent pink, as this allows them to easily see the protein in microscopy experiments. Day 218 of #LMB365 shows some stages in the purification of a fluorescently-labelled protein, at the same time as the unlabelled protein.

This image for day 217 of #LMB365 shows one of the racks of zebrafish tanks found in the aquatics facility within the University occupied space at the LMB. Each 1.5 litre tank can hold up to 25 fish fry up to 30 days of age and the racks are designed to provide a controlled environment of 26C, pH7 and conductivity of 650 to ensure the welfare of the fish.

Day 216 of #LMB365 shows a brain organoid, grown by Madeline Lancaster’s group in Cell Biology, seen down a microscope. This one has been injected with a blue dye to visualise the fluid-filled cavities that are similar to the ventricles of the brain.

Day 215 of #LMB365 is an image of an embryonic day 12 mouse lung, showing the beginning of the extensive branching morphogenesis that will eventually form the adult mouse lung. The tubes of the forming lung are shown in green, and the surrounding supporting tissue is in magenta. The work was carried out by Katja Roeper in collaboration with Emma Rawlins at the Gurdon Institute.

The LMB’s environmental conditions are regulated through the movement of air through the lab. Waste heat is recovered from the exhaust air before being routed to the top of the four plant towers and being discharged at high speed to prevent it being re-entrained back into the building. Of the four discharge exhausts shown in the picture only three are being used. The fourth is capped and available for expansion purposes. On day 214 of #LMB365 it seems as though the residual warmth from the exhausted air has attracted a local resident to trial some new accommodation at this precarious location. We wonder who it is?