Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Core Technology Team Active
Microscopic Video Imaging
Eosin-nigrosin staining of spermatozoa from common carp
Flow cytometry results from yellow perch testicular tissue
About the Research
The Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program works to develop and apply biomarkers to evaluate the potential impacts of environmental contaminants at cellular and molecular levels. Because molecular and biochemical responses of cells are preceded by chemical changes in nuclei, cytoplasm, membranes, and extracellular fluids, these responses can be indicative of contaminant exposures.
Animal biomarkers diagnostic of ecosystem condition: Biotechnologies for conservation science.
The Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry CTT focuses on bioindicators associated with environmental stressors and ecosystem integrity, which are essential to the management of trust resources, habitats, and ecosystems that serve human, and fish and wildlife communities.
The CTT uses biotechnologies typically used in human medicine to collect data on animal cells. In general, blood and sperm are used to determine markers of response such as chemical changes in cell structures and DNA, which can indicate animal condition.
Data gathered can reflect reproductive status and indicate genotoxicity (relevant to environmental conditions). This information is often integrated with other organism, population and landscape level information and analytical chemistry data to provide information on adverse outcome pathways (i.e., linkages between a direct molecular initiating event and an adverse outcome at a biological level of organization), as well as biomarkers (e.g., early-warning signals that reflect biological responses). These methods can be used in research with bacteria to mammals to deliver actionable science to support environmental health research and goals.
Key Analytical Capabilities
- Cell viability and motility
- Mitochondrial membrane potential
- Apoptosis (programmed cell death)
- Liver enzymes
- Ploidy
- DNA fragmentation
- Cell cycle/proliferation
- Genome size
- Cell counts
- Blood cell type identification
- Epigenetics
- Immunophenotyping
Key Instrumentation
- Flow Cytometer
- Spectral Flow Cytometry
- Computer Assisted Sperm Motion Analysis (CASA) System
- Microscopes and microscopic image analysis software
Environmental Health Integrated Science Team Collaborators
-
Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Science Team
The team develops advanced methods to study factors driving algal toxin production, how and where wildlife or humans are exposed to toxins, and ecotoxicology. That information is used to develop decision tools to understand if toxin exposure leads to adverse health effects in order to protect human and wildlife health.Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...
Science activities related to the Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Core Technology Team can be found below.
Outlining Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Critical Elements: From Chemical Structure to Adverse Outcome Pathways
Detecting Sublethal Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms in Mammalian and Avian Cells
Comparative Freshwater Fish Toxicity Testing of Antimycin A
Minerals Science Team
Computer-Assisted Sperm Motion Analysis in Measuring Reproductive Effects in Bass
Studying Immune Responses in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Flow Cytometry Applied to the Animal Kingdom in Studies of Natural Resource Science
- Overview
About the Research
The Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Core Technology Team (CTT) as part of the Environmental Health Program works to develop and apply biomarkers to evaluate the potential impacts of environmental contaminants at cellular and molecular levels. Because molecular and biochemical responses of cells are preceded by chemical changes in nuclei, cytoplasm, membranes, and extracellular fluids, these responses can be indicative of contaminant exposures.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsMicroscopic video imaging is used for computerized analysis of sperm motility parameters (Credit: Jill Jenkins, USGS. Public domain.) Animal biomarkers diagnostic of ecosystem condition: Biotechnologies for conservation science.
The Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry CTT focuses on bioindicators associated with environmental stressors and ecosystem integrity, which are essential to the management of trust resources, habitats, and ecosystems that serve human, and fish and wildlife communities.
The CTT uses biotechnologies typically used in human medicine to collect data on animal cells. In general, blood and sperm are used to determine markers of response such as chemical changes in cell structures and DNA, which can indicate animal condition.
Data gathered can reflect reproductive status and indicate genotoxicity (relevant to environmental conditions). This information is often integrated with other organism, population and landscape level information and analytical chemistry data to provide information on adverse outcome pathways (i.e., linkages between a direct molecular initiating event and an adverse outcome at a biological level of organization), as well as biomarkers (e.g., early-warning signals that reflect biological responses). These methods can be used in research with bacteria to mammals to deliver actionable science to support environmental health research and goals.
Key Analytical Capabilities
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media DetailsConceptual diagram of the flow cytometry technique. Flow cytometry is a technique for rapidly analyzing large numbers of animal cells using light-scattering, fluorescence, and absorbance measurements.(Credit: Jill Jenkins, USGS. Public domain.) - Cell viability and motility
- Mitochondrial membrane potential
- Apoptosis (programmed cell death)
- Liver enzymes
- Ploidy
- DNA fragmentation
- Cell cycle/proliferation
- Genome size
- Cell counts
- Blood cell type identification
- Epigenetics
- Immunophenotyping
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsEosin-nigrosin staining of spermatozoa from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) testes collected from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada(Credit: Jill Jenkins, USGS. Public domain.) Key Instrumentation
- Flow Cytometer
- Spectral Flow Cytometry
- Computer Assisted Sperm Motion Analysis (CASA) System
- Microscopes and microscopic image analysis software
Environmental Health Integrated Science Team Collaborators-
Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms Science Team
The team develops advanced methods to study factors driving algal toxin production, how and where wildlife or humans are exposed to toxins, and ecotoxicology. That information is used to develop decision tools to understand if toxin exposure leads to adverse health effects in order to protect human and wildlife health.Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...
- Science
Science activities related to the Photomicroscopy and Flow Cytometry Core Technology Team can be found below.
Outlining Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Critical Elements: From Chemical Structure to Adverse Outcome Pathways
The Federal Government was charged with ensuring a reliable supply of critical minerals from within the U.S., and to further this policy in a safe and environmentally responsible manner by identifying new sources of critical elements. The objective of this research is to delineate anticipated adverse outcome pathways for the critical elements.Detecting Sublethal Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms in Mammalian and Avian Cells
USGS Researchers are collaborating to study avian and mammalian cells to detect sublethal toxin effects following exposure to harmful algal blooms.Comparative Freshwater Fish Toxicity Testing of Antimycin A
Researchers are investigating the influence of Antimycin A on invasive carp and non-target fishes by measuring the effects of a novel species-specific bait formulation.Minerals Science Team
The Minerals Integrated Science Team focuses on contaminant exposures in the environment that might originate from mineral resource activities including, transportation, storage, extraction and waste management. Perceived health risks to humans and other organisms will be distinguished from actual risks, if any. If actual risks are identified the science produced by this team can inform how to...Computer-Assisted Sperm Motion Analysis in Measuring Reproductive Effects in Bass
The objective of this research is to assess the sensitivity of female and male LMB reproductive capabilities at the time of year when they are physiologically preparing for spawning season (also known as gonad recrudescence).Studying Immune Responses in the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
The objectives of this study are to (1) investigate whether the immune system will respond to chemical stressors, such as new flame retardant compounds, and (2) determine if such chemical stressors influence white blood cells (WBC) responses after exposure to a viral pathogen mimicking bird flu.Flow Cytometry Applied to the Animal Kingdom in Studies of Natural Resource Science
Flow cytometry is a technique for rapidly analyzing large numbers of animal cells using light-scattering, fluorescence, and absorbance measurements. - Data
- Publications