The system is comprised of:

Electronic Controller
Stage Adapter
Chamber (environmental optical cavity)

What is it?

Bioptechs is happy to release the FCS3 ®, a closed system, parallel plate, micro-environmental chamber for upright microscopes. The FCS3 provides the user with all of the functionality of the popular FCS2 but redesigned for upright microscopes. Therefore, you have the following attributes in one easy to load and use chamber:

• Suitable for no flow through high rate flow procedures where a rapid exchange of media is required with low cell surface shear
• Cell temperature can be controlled from ambient to 50 degrees C +/- 0.2 degrees C without the need of an air curtain
• Temperature is controlled uniformly across entire field with media equilibrating as it enters the chamber
• Closed system so that bicarbonate CO2 or organic buffers can be employed
• Compatible with 1/16" tubing for perfusion (C-Flex, Tygon, etc.)
• Easily assembled with ordinary skill (no tools required)
• Stand-alone temperature controller with an alarm circuit to safeguard your cells
• Near laminar flow

How does it work?

Cells are grown on a 40mm glass coverslip. This coverslip is then incorporated into a perfusable fluid optical cavity that is compatible with all modes of microscopy, and its geometry can be easily defined by the user. This Optical Cavity is secured into the FCS3 chamber on the stage of the microscope where it can be perfused with media or remain static. Media that comes into one of the ports on the side of the chamber, emerges in a fluid optical path where the media is precisely directed over the cells. The media is collected within the optical cavity and directed out of the chamber on the other side. The flow characteristics of the media while in the optical cavity, are easily modified by selecting gaskets of varying geometry that direct the flow. Temperature control is maintained by both peripheral thermal support from the chamber metal frame and heat that is emitted from an electrically conductive optically transparent coating on the "window" of the optical cavity. This technique provides uniform temperature control across the entire field, thus eliminating the temperature gradient that occurs with other designs. This technique also enables the FCS3 to recover from perfusion induced temperature fluctuations in just seconds.

Temperature Control:

The FCS3 was designed to maintain accurate thermal control and allow high-volume laminar flow perfusion. Both of these functions are incorporated into our patented Microaqueduct Slide (see drawing below). The surface of the slide, opposite the specimen side, is coated with an electrically conductive transparent thin film of Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO) and two electrical contacts (bus bars). When the FCS3 is completely assembled two electrical contacts, (not shown in drawing), which are contained in the electrical enclosure rest on the bus bars. A temperature controller is used to pass a regulated current flow through the ITO Coating. This causes the surface of the slide to heat. The heat is transferred through the perfusable media to the cell surface on the coverslip thereby providing first surface thermal control. The self locking base of the chamber is also temperature regulated to provide peripheral heat as well.

Microaqueduct Perfusion:

A fluid pathway is formed by separating the Microaqueduct slide from the coverslip containing cells with a single silicone gasket. This gasket can be any thickness from 50 micron to 1mm and any lateral geometry you choose or create. This arrangement allows the user to define the flow characteristics. Therefore, you are not limited by the geometry of the optical cavity instead you select or create it! Fluid access to this flow channel is made through two 14-gauge needle stock tubes protruding from the sides of the chamber top. These tubes provide fluid connection to two perfusion holes in the Microaqueduct slide that interface two "T" shaped grooves cut into the inner surface of the Microaqueduct slide. The “T” groove allows the media to seek the path of least resistance and become nearly laminar before flowing across the cells. This technique eliminates the need for the metal perfusion ring and additional gaskets, which are the limiting factors, required by most conventional chambers. (see drawing below)

Isometric View of Optical Cavity Microaqueduct Slide is transparent glass but rendered as a solid to improve contrast to illustrate function.

Microaqueduct design enables proper Koehler illumination with high-numeric aperture optics for both transmitted and reflected modes of microscopy.

• Suitable for no flow through high rate flow procedures where a rapid exchange of media is required with low cell surface shear
• Cell temperature can be controlled from ambient to 50 degrees C +/- 0.2 degrees C without the need of an air curtain
• Temperature is controlled uniformly across entire field with media equilibrating as it enters the chamber
• Closed system so that bicarbonate CO2 or organic buffers can be employed
• Compatible with 1/16" tubing for perfusion (C-Flex, Tygon, etc.)
• Easily assembled with ordinary skill (no tools required)
• Stand-alone temperature controller with an alarm circuit to safeguard your cells
• Near laminar flow

By simply changing this one gasket you can change the volume of the chamber. This gasket can have any internal geometry you desire and can be any thickness from 0.1mm to 1mm. The drawing below shows the standard shapes of the gaskets that we include with every FCS3 starter set. We also include solid gaskets for you to custom fit to your application. Once you have found the shape that works best for your experiment you can contact us to have a die made to those specifications. Examples of standard gasket outlines (below)

Standard Gasket Set includes:

(3) 0.1mm Thick 30mm Round (2) 0.1mm Thick 14 x 24 Rectangle (3) 0.25mm Thick 30 mm Round (2) 0.25mm Thick 14 x 24 Rectangle (1) 0.25mm Thick Blank (3) 0.5mm Thick 30mm Round (2) 0.5mm Thick 14 x 24 Rectangle

(2) 0.5mm Thick Blank (5) 0.75mm Thick 30mm Round w/holes (2) 0.75mm Thick 14 x 24 Rectangle (1) 0.75mm Thick Blank (2) 1.0mm Thick 30mm Round (1) 1.0mm Thick 14 x 24 Rectangle (1) 1.0mm Thick Blank

To order a specific geometry please see the price list for part numbers and prices.  Gaskets are sold 5 gaskets per pack.

In addition to the standard gasket set that comes with the FCS3 starter kit, shown above, there are a variety of gasket geometries, and thicknesses ranging from 0.1mm to 1mm available. See the additional gaskets shapes chart below.

Additional gasket shapes

Custom shapes are available. Simply contact Bioptechs to make arrangements for their production. All dimensions below are in millimeters. Please specify the die number that is located on the gasket drawing below and the thickness of the gasket when ordering.

To assist you and Bioptechs in selecting the most appropriate system to meet your needs,
please review and fill out the following questionnaire.

Micro-Environmental System Profile Questions (.pdf)
Micro-Environmental System Profile Questions (.doc)

Accessories: