The LCV110 incubator fluorescence microscope from Olympus is an ultra-long-term live cell incubation and imaging system.
The LCV110 offers researchers the ability to carry out multi-channel, long-term, time-lapse observation of living cells without having to remove cultures from their ideal growth environment.
The system can handle observation of multiple locations in up to eight dishes simultaneously, for up to a week at a time, so researchers can better manage, observe, image and generate data on the growth, kinetics, morphology and protein expression in the most sensitive cell types.
The closed-box system incorporates an incubator, motorised inverted microscope, non-drift optics, cooled CCD camera, computer and Metamorph software.
With its streamlined dish management system, Olympus said that it offers flexibility, ease of use and optical performance.
'LCV110 offers individual researchers a complete system for managing and analysing complex experiments, and does not require a huge footprint,' said Nicolas George of Olympus America.
'This system is for those who want a sophisticated, flexible system without having to deal with high-level security access protocols or robotics.' As the system is based on a true incubator, physical stress on the culture is minimised, so cells remain uncontaminated and enjoy a consistently beneficial environment throughout the experimental process.
Imaging is performed within the incubator, handling up to eight vessels at a time on its motorised stage, allowing maximum compliance with a wide variety of experimental protocols.
The liquid handling option allows the researcher to add agonists or stimulants with the minimum of disruption to the environment.
Both multichannel fluorescence and differential interference contrast (DIC) observation can be handled by the optical system, which is designed for use with a 40x, 0.95 NA dry objective, unlike the oil immersion objectives that other systems require.
Magnification changers allow 20x - 80x images to be collected.
Scientists can change media mid experiment, and can add medications, drugs or other substances to the dishes.
The system allows multiple observations in each dish, at multiple focal points, and the software allows intermittent review of results and images while the experiment is underway.
