Many types of research and studies today are utilizing the technique of imaging live cells to get a better insight as to the crucial nature of the tissue and cellular functions. The trend is brought about by the fast advancements with the technology in terms of synthetic fluorophores and fluorescent proteins. When you buy Andor camera, it would be best to learn more about the basics of some of these important processes.
In this article, we will be discussing some pertinent information about live cells maintenance on microscope stages. It has always been a challenge to keep live cells healthy while they are under observance.
Below are some helpful tips:
Overview of Imaging Chambers
Imaging chambers have become crucial components of microscopy as they have provided an avenue for the researchers to accurately study specimens without compromising their healthy state.
When your experiment is short that lasts for just around 30 minutes, you can simply attach a coverslip with adherent cells to the slides. But, you have to be careful not to apply too much physical stress as this is the main reason for the damages.
If your experiment requires longer durations of observation, you would have to work with chambers that are specifically designed to have an environment for imaging. These chambers will normally come with the ability to nurture the cells for optimum growth and keep them alive for a long time.
Selecting Cell Lines
One of the best ways to maintain healthy cells on microscopes is by selecting the right cell lines. When you are choosing the cell lines, you should consider a lot of factors. This includes the investigationâs target observations, the cellsâ ability to get labeled by the synthetic fluorophores, the efficiency of the transfection, and the cell lineâs tolerance to the varying conditions of the culture chambers in terms of its environment and illumination.
Often, you can identify a good cell line if it exudes the best properties in one or more of the categories mentioned above.
Controlling the Temperature
Temperature is one of the most sensitive aspects of any research. This is especially true with live cell imaging. Some techniques will require a different temperature from the laboratory surroundingâs temperature and this is where it is important to pay extra attention to controlling the temperature.
There are a lot of ways that you can do to control cell temperature. One of the most common ways is including the heating element with the chamber. But, take note that this method may only limit the temperature control to the chambers itself.
Considering the Laboratory Environment
It is also important that you choose the right laboratory environment when doing experiments as this is one factor that could affect the process of imaging live cells. The first thing that you should ensure is that there is proper ventilation to release the ozone and organic solvents emitted by the chemicals and elements used in the experiment.
Moreover, you should also make sure that there is enough space to install the microscope with a lot of room to move around. Also, make sure that there is an area assigned for when you buy Andor camera.