Technology is getting sleeker and smaller. This not only applies to tech-gadgets like cellular phones and computer applications, but in the medical industry as well. The integration of modern technology and medical science is fast producing beneficial findings. From the discovery of the first compound microscope in 1590, to the identification of microorganisms we later named bacteria by Dutch scientist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek in 1676, this just proves that technology and medical science are made to be combined to produce the best results possible.
The researchers from the Johns Hopkins University have taken the advent of the computer generation to good use. They have developed a micro-incubator the size of a thumb to culture cells for laboratory tests. They were able to incorporate micro-chip technology made from silicon. When viewed under a brightfield compound microscope, one can see the intricate fluid channels that network each micro-chip. The researchers stated that they were able to culture the kidney cells of baby hamsters in three days. This kind of experiment is a far cry from the traditional culture methods. It is an advance in the utilization of nigh-tech equipment such as brightfield compound microscopes, micro-chips and silicon.
Traditional cell culture techniques usually involved placing cells and nutrients into a lab dish and situated inside an incubator, which is also a heating box, usually the size of a small refrigerator. The researchers must meticulously maintain a temperature that will encourage growth, while keeping the surrounding environment free from contaminants. The researchers must also try to attain appropriate levels of humidity, carbon dioxide and oxygen. But if the lab dish is removed from the incubator for any purpose at all, these optimal conditions set by the researcher is disrupted, and the cell cultures begin to expire.
Jennifer Blain Christen, the lead author of the study, reported that the system they created in one of the first ever systems to put to use. Once the system is set-up, there is nothing more to do but wait. This is how the culture process using this system works – the micro-channels in the incubator is fabricated with a silicone polymer material, and with a brightfield compound microscope, makes it easier for researchers to insert and guide cells and nutrients. A computer controlled environment is set, keeping the cells at the optimum temperature for growth. The incubator is made of transparent material, thus easy viewing by a brightfielf compound microscope or digital camera is made possible without disturbing the conditions of the procedure.
This minute device was also created to be eco-friendly. Since the fabrication affects the surroundings in a potentially harmful way, the device was made smaller. They can also be re-used in other devices, which save on manufacturing costs and wastes. The researchers state that whenever an experiment is conducted, the detrimental effects of what it may cause to our environment should be largely considered as well. Currently, the researchers are undergoing further studies on how to fine-tune the device and determine if it can be utilized in other forms of laboratory researches as well.