What Is an Incubator Apparatus?
An incubator apparatus is designed to culture a wide range of organisms including animal and insect cells, Escherichia coli, other bacteria, and plants by controlling their environment (temperature, humidity, etc.) for optimal growth. Bioshakers enhance bacterial cultures through agitation, while CO2 incubators introduce carbon dioxide to maintain the pH level for mammalian cell cultures.
Uses of Incubator Apparatuses
Incubator apparatuses are pivotal in growing animal cells and microorganisms by precisely controlling environmental conditions. They are widely utilized in life sciences and biology for protein expression in E. coli, among other applications. Typical operating temperatures range from +4°C to +70°C, catering to various research needs.
Principle of Incubator Apparatuses
While specific controls vary, maintaining appropriate temperature conditions is crucial. Temperature can be regulated in gas or liquid phases, with the former offering ease of adjustment but sensitivity to ambient changes, and the latter providing superior thermal retention but more challenging temperature management.
Types of Incubator Apparatuses
1. Bioshaker
Bioshakers perform essential mixing of liquid medium and air, with right-to-left and rotary shaking options for different culture vessels. Baffled triangular flasks, often used for their efficient medium and air mixing, are suited for rotary shaking.
2. CO2 Incubator
CO2 incubators control CO2 levels and humidity, using around 5% CO2 for pH stability and trays of sterile water to maintain 90-95% humidity. They accommodate both adherent and floating mammalian cells, with specific considerations for each cell type’s incubation.
Other Information on Incubator Apparatuses
1. Bacteria Incubator Apparatus
This type of incubator, set to maintain temperatures around 38℃, is used primarily in food processing for the growth inspection of microorganisms like E. coli and Salmonella. Its design facilitates microorganism color identification post-reagent application.
2. Cell Incubator Apparatus
Used for culturing human-origin mammalian cells, these incubators support cell observation and protein use from cells. Regular tasks include medium exchange and passaging culture to ensure optimal cell conditions, with recent advancements in automatic incubators simplifying these processes.
3. Terminology
The term “incubator” traditionally refers to egg incubation devices. However, in the context of scientific apparatus, different terminologies apply:
- Incubator apparatus: culture apparatus
- Microorganism incubator apparatus: bacterial culture apparatus
- Anaerobic culture apparatus: anaerobic culture apparatus