IncuScope IS250 Incubator Microscope with 10x, 25x, 40x Phase Contrast and Fluorescence

What is an IncuScope?

IncuScope is a compact inverted fluorescence microscope that fits on a shelf inside an incubator or inside a hood. It has brightfield, phase contrast and fluorescence imaging capability with optional darkfield imaging. It can be either used with camera only or with a trinocular head attached to a camera. Thus it will be a stand-alone microscope to use on the bench or keep inside an incubator for video time-lapse imaging. This system can run on a laptop or desktop using USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 cable, allows capturing images, and controlling the LEDs. It has several options of objective lenses (from 2x to 150x) and fluorescent filters (from UV to IR). The IncuScope is the most simple and affordable live cell imaging device in the market.

On the bench Brightfield & Fluorescence camera attachment	Inside a hood Phase Contrast & Fluorescence camera attachment	Inside an incubator Fluorescence & Phase Contrast trinocular head & camera

Applications

When you need to have  a complete access of a biological microscope inside an incubator, IncuScope is a perfect choice.  If you need to monitor your cells under microscope in hypoxy conditions and do not like to spend $25,000 for a miniature incubator / heating stage to add to your microscope, IncuScope IS250 will do the job you need. Some examples of IncuScope Applications are (but not limited to):

• Cell Proliferation and confluency study
• Cell growth, death and differentiation kinetics
• Cell Counting
• Cell Migration and wound healing
• Cell Cycle
• Stem cells development
• Cancer Cells
• Microfluidics study
• Hypoxy Condition

Why IncuScope IS250? Why is it better than the other similar products?

The IncuScope IS250 series has several advantages over the competitors such as:

• Price: it has the lowest price of the incubator microscope in the market while its image quality and performance stay superior. For instance:
  • Lumascope 560 series with BF and FL imaging, single obj lens costs $7,500 USD, plus XY stage for $750 and each sample holder at $130. If you need phase contrast, add another $3,350 for single obj lens.
  • EVOS, with similar package starts at $18,000
  • Juli with similar package starts at$ 25,000
• Image quality talks. You compare it to believe.
• Flexibility in design: This incubator microscope has the most diverse flexible design. You can select any combination of camera and c-mount adapter, and any fluorescence filter design.
• Unique Feature: darkfield, polarization imaging is possible. The other incubator products can not offer this.

This video shows the video time-lapse of T Cells cultured in a 96-well plate and captured by IncuScope IS251 inside an incubator overnight (for 12 hours) using 25x Phase Contrast.Thanks Jamie McNicol at McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
https://youtu.be/XOAXbv55iCQ

Winning Features

• Small enough to fit inside an incubator or a biological hood.
• Comes with Quadruple nosepiece
• Phase Contrast Bundle: 10x Ph, 25x Ph and 40x Ph (suitable for FL too), 33mm WD Condenser, phase alignment tool
• Optional Lenses: 2x, 2.5x, 4x, 5x, 20x, 50x, 60x, 100x, 150x BF & FL, and 20x Ph.
• Single Fluorescence channel, default: GFP, with several optional customized channels (400-1500nm)
• Optional darkfield and polarization imaging capability.
• 2.3MP Color USB3.0 High-Sensitive Camera, two C-mount adapters and calibration slide makes the imaging bundle so professional.
• A trinocular head to use the scope in a classical way on the bench.
• USB 3.0 connections for camera and LED Control
• LED Control via manual controller and software (simultaneously)
• IncuView Software for LED Control (intensity, turn on/off), time-lapse imaging and merging channels
• Excellent tool for live cell imaging

Note: ● Standard Outfit, ○ Optional, * Contact Bioimager for consultation

Cameras:

* Suitable only for brightfield and phase contrast-imaging.

**: C: Color, GS: Global Shutter, M: Monochrome

Imaging Modes:

1. Brightfield
2. Phase contrast
3. Fluorescence
4. Darkfield
5. Polarization

Cameras:

* Suitable only for brightfield and phase contrast-imaging.

**HD Camera with 11.6″ Retina Display. Not supported by IncuView yet. Further Info.

System Diagram:

IncuView Software Interface

Features:

• Time-lapse mode
• Controls each LED separately
• Turn ON/OFF option for the LEDs, i.e. digital shutter
• Live view and image capture
• Label image color
• Merge images
• Color and monochrome images
• Manual and automatic exposure time and gain
• Captures BF and FL images separately
• Zoom in / Zoom out with a touch of mouse wheel
• Full screen of the live image, resizable tabs

For Image Analysis Software, please check Image Pro page.

When we have two LEDs then software captures 5 images at every time point:

1) phase contrast (or brightfield), Monochrome

2) phase contrast (or brightfield), pseudo-color (like white or slightly grey if you pick)

3) Fluorescence image, monochrome

4) fluorescence image, pseudo-color (like green fro GFP)

5) merged color images (image #2 +image #4)

Video 1: Review of IS250 IncuScope Microscope Optomechanics and functions

Video 2: Sample Time-Lapse Viedeo of T-Cells

This video shows the video time-lapse of T Cells cultured in a 96-well plate and captured by IncuScope IS251 inside an incubator overnight (for 12 hours) using 25x Phase Contrast.Thanks Jamie McNicol at McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Sample Images:

Example 1: These images were taken with 10x Phase contrast. Image #1 and #2 are identical and just one was presented.

10x Phase Contrast

10x Fluorescence, Monochrome

10x Fluorescence, labeled green (pseudo colour)

Merged / Superimposed image of phase contrast and fluorescence