Laboratory systems

Nikon BioStation combines incubator and inverted microscope in one unit

17 August 2007

An integrated ‘hands-off’ system for managing, observing and recording the growth of cells in culture has been launched by Nikon Instruments.

By combining the precise environmental control capabilities of a high-performance CO2 incubator with the advanced optics needed for drift-free, live-cell imaging, the BioStation CT removes the need for culture dishes to be transported from one location to another for observation.

The Nikon BioStation IMIt can avoid the fluctuations in temperature, humidity and gas concentration associated with the movement of cell cultures from an incubator to a microscope. It has applications in regenerative medicine; toxicology; drug discovery; and biologically-based drug production.

A bench-top version, the BioStation IM, is designed specifically for single-user, single experiment, time-lapse recording of cells in culture. As in its multi-user, multi-experiment stable mate, the optical system of the BioStation IM has a special anti-drift design that ensures images are always kept in sharp focus.

With both systems, cultures can be imaged at both the macro and the micro level, from 2x to 40x magnification (CT) or 10x to 80 (IM) under phase contrast, using special lenses that provide the highest possible contrast with the least amount of ‘halo’ for clear viewing of cellular organelles.

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