Uses of Laboratory Incubators
An incubator is
equipment used in modern research laboratories for maintaining and regulating
viable growth factors such as temperature, humidity and ventilation so that microbiological
cultures can grow. Incubators are available in the market in varying sizes
catering to different requirements- from tabletop to small room size. Some
high-end incubators also have the capability to lower temperature
(microbiological incubator) and control humidity or CO2 levels (CO2 incubator
or cell culture incubator). The non-gassed incubator (microbiological) focuses
mainly on the growth and storage of bacterial cultures and control temperature
ranging from 5C to 70C. However, the gassed incubator (CO2 incubator) is
generally used for cell cultures and provides a stable environment by maintaining
temperature (37 C), relative humidity (95%) and CO2 for proper pH standards.
Uses of laboratory
incubators
Laboratory incubators are widely involved in a number of
applications such as cell and tissue culture, pharmaceutical studies,
hematological studies, biochemical studies, food processing, cell aeration,
plant and animal studies, solubility studies, fermentation studies and
bacterial culturing.
Medical Treatments
For years, the
controlled stable environment of the incubator was used for hatching poultry
eggs and taking care of premature or sick babies. Today, incubators have more
elaborative use and its market is thriving as a result of new applications.
Scientists use incubators for medical treatments, stem cell research and
experimental procedures like incubating antibodies on tissues and cells for fluorescence microscopy. They can also be used to
diagnose the disease-causing pathogens in the human body. With the balanced and
careful use of air around the cell culture, the microorganism multiplies and
increases the probability of identifying the pathogen.
Tissue culture
Incubators are now extensively used to study tissue
cultures, that involves extracting tissue fragments from animals or plants,
keeping these explants (isolation of cells from a piece or pieces of tissue) in
an incubator and subsequently analyzing their growth. Study of these explants
enables clinicians and scientists to understand the functioning of specific cells
like cancer cells and help them in developing vaccines for diseases such as
polio, mumps and measles. Also, these tissue cultures have helped scientists to
detect various disorders resulting from the absence of certain enzymes.
Genetic engineering
New avenues have opened with the use of incubators in
genetic engineering. Scientists have been able to use the explants from the
tissue culture to manipulate their genetic material. It has also allowed them
to form new organisms by combining DNAs from different sources. Genetic
engineering has helped enhance the nutritional value of various fruits and
vegetables and has also worked in increasing the disease-resistance level of
many crops.
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