Invitrogen™ EVOS™ Onstage Incubator (OSI-2)

The second generation EVOS Onstage Incubator (OSI-2) is designed to work seamlessly with the EVOS M5000 and EVOS M7000 imaging systems and provides precise control of temperature, humidity, and gas concentration (O2, CO2, N2), allowing the capture of images from the same sample over long periods of time and recording of time lapse movies under physiological and non-physiological conditions. For added convenience, the OSI-2 contains an on board air compressor, eliminating the need for a separate air tank. Environmental settings and image acquisition parameters are all seamlessly integrated into the microscope user interface, creating a high-performance inverted imaging system with excellent flexibility, ease of use, and superb optical performance for demanding live cell time-lapse imaging experiments.

The EVOS Onstage Incubator (OSI-2) offers these important advantages:
• Fully integrated environmental chamber for live cell time-lapse imaging
• Precise maintenance of physiological or non-physiological conditions for the duration of the time-lapse experiment
• Intuitive user-interface for setting environmental conditions and image acquisition parameters
• Small footprint, robust build, and workflow-enhancing design elements
• Choice of a wide range of onstage incubator-compatible vessel holders
• Quiet, on-board air compressor

Fully integrated environmental control system
The OSI-2 consists of an environmental control unit and an environmental chamber precision-tooled for the automated X-Y stage on the EVOS M7000 system (Cat. No. AMF7000). The stage plate (link to new PDP AMEPVH106) that ships with the OSI-2 is also compatible with the semi-automated EVOS M5000 system (Cat. No. AMF5000). A small, separate control unit provides power, humidity and temperature control, and gas (air or air-CO₂ premix, CO₂, and N₂ for O₂ displacement in hypoxia experiments). Unlike many other systems that require separate software modules or control units, the OSI-2 is operated through the user interface of the EVOS M5000 and M7000 systems. Following a simple installation, the incubator is automatically recognized by the imaging software and ready for use.

Flexible and precise environmental control
When performing live-cell imaging studies, such as cell proliferation, cell cycle, stem cell differentiation, migration, membrane, and organelle dynamics studies, it is essential to maintain environmental control. Shifts in temperature of even few degrees can have profound effects on dynamic cellular events, as can changes in CO₂ or oxygen concentrations. The ability to maintain tight temperature control helps maintain cell function and reduces the risk of biological temperature-related artifacts. It also minimizes thermal contractions or expansions that may cause focus instability or drift. To enable studies of cells under hypoxic conditions, the system has three gas line ports. By using N2 it is possible to create hypoxia by setting the oxygen sensor to the desired level.

Operating ranges and levels

Temperature range: ambient to 40°C (+/- 0.1°C)
Relative humidity range: 70–90% at 37-40°C
CO₂ range: 0–20%
O₂ range: 0% to ambient
Air-compressor decibel level: 45 Db (with cover); 48 Db (without cover)