Becton Dickinson Pathway - High-content Confocal Screening
This high content analysis machine is ideally suited to applications where the response of live cultured cells to different experimental agents, eg drugs, needs to be studied or quantified over a period of time. The cells can be cultured and imaged in optical 96 multiwell plates. Various plate holders are available, and also a slide adapter.
Equipped with environmental control, (both temperature and CO2) and liquid handling, the system can perform a wide range of fluorescence-based kinetic and endpoint biological assays. A binocular eyepiece allows for direct viewing of cells in both fluorescence and transmitted light modes. The Pathway can capture images in either confocal (spinning disk based) or widefield mode, for optimal analysis.
The Illumination system uses dual Hg arc lamps which are even, high intensity and full-spectrum (340-700 nm), allowing the use of a wide range of dyes including DAPI, Hoechst, FITC, TRITC and CY5.
When imaging multiwell plates laser autofocus allows accurate and rapid focussing across the whole plate. In addition x,y,z linear-motor positioning allows fast, precise image montage, also known as tiling, without the need for software processing. This capability helps achieve increased cell counts by acquiring multiple adjacent image fields per sample.
The captured data may be analysed using the Data Explorer software or exported to third party software. For example images may be segmented and divided into regions of interest where fluorescence measurements are made which can include fluorescence intensity ratios, granularity, and fluorescence localization. Individual cells can then be classified into different categories based on endpoint or kinetic response profiles at the cell, well, or plate level.
Specifications
Objectives: 40x (air, 0.90), 20x (air, 0.75), 10x (air 0.13)
Imaging modes: Multi point x,y (2D) with tiling, volume x,y,z (3D), time lapse x,y,z,t (4D), live-cell (37°C, 5% CO2).
Location
Bio-Imaging Unit, Room M2.143, William Leech Building, Medical School
