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.
It
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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