An imaging flow cytometer includes a flow path such as a transparent tube for allowing subject particles to move in a separate fluidity, the subject particles being present in a sample liquid, a light source for applying light to the subject particles which flow through the transparent tube, a beam splitter for distributing to two optical paths image light obtained from each of the subject particles irradiated with the light, a capturing device which has a light receiving surface on which an image is formed, projectors for magnifying at different magnification powers each image light distributed by the beam splitter and forming an image on respective portions of the light receiving surfaces of the capturing device, and an image processor for storing and displaying images of particles captured by the capturing device.
There is provided cell observation apparatus (10) comprising cell observation chamber (30) and optical observation means (70), the cell observation chamber (30) having, disposed thereinside, a pair of wells and a channel through which the wells communicate with each other so that cells of a cell suspension stocked in one of the pair of wells can react with a chemotaxis-factor-containing solution stocked in the other well and can move from the one well to the other well through the channel, the optical observation means (70) capable of optically observing the cells moving through the channel from outside of the cell observation chamber (30), wherein the cell observation chamber (30) with its part exposed from casing (20) is housed in the casing (20) and wherein the optical observation means (70) is housed in the casing (20) so that the optical axis thereof horizontally extends allow in the cell observation chamber (30). Thus, there can be obtained a cell observation apparatus that is compact, being easy in transfer and that has strikingly been improved with respect to handleability.
In order to investigate particles in a fluid, a flow cell causes the fluid to flow past a sensor which receives light from a continuous light emission system. When the sensor detects a change in light, a particle detector is triggered, which in turn triggers a pulse generator and hence an intermittent light emission system. Light then illuminates the flow cell to allow a CCD camera to photograph the particle. The photographs taken by the CCD camera are analyzed by an image processor. In order to obtain an accurate particle concentration measurement, it is necessary to modify the initial concentration measurement derived from the analysis of particle images by the image processor by a compensation coefficient. This operation is carried out by a concentration compensator. The result may then be displayed. Additional analysis may be carried out by changing the magnification of the CCD camera, or by selecting for analysis only those particles of a selected size or type.
A manufacturing system including: (a) a vessel for holding a liquid; (b) a first member and a second member, each having a flat surface, wherein the flat surface of the first member faces and is spaced from the flat surface of the second member, thereby defining a gap region between the two flat surfaces, wherein a section of the first member is transparent through the thickness of the first member; (c) a liquid delivery system connected to the vessel and the gap region which delivers the liquid to the gap region and the liquid flows in the gap region in view of the transparent section of the first member; (d) a camera positioned to view through the transparent section of the first member; (e) image processing means coupled to the camera for determining the homogeneity of the liquid in the gap region; and (f) liquid dispensing equipment connected to the liquid delivery system.
A flowcytometer includes a sheath flow cell for forming a sample stream containing particles; a detector for detecting the particle at a first area to generate a signal representative of the particle; an imaging device for capturing an image of the particle at a second area of the sample stream; a display; a calculator for calculating a plurality of characteristic parameters of each particle; a distribution preparation device for preparing a distribution of the characteristic parameters to display the distribution on the display; a designation device for previously designating a region in the distribution; a region memory for storing the designated region; a decision device for deciding whether the characteristic parameters of the particle detected at the first area by the detection means are located in the designated region stored in the region memory; an image controller for allowing the imaging device to imaging the particle when the characteristic parameters are located in the designated region; an image memory for storing the image of the particle; and a controller for selectively reading the image of the particle to allow the display device to display the read image.
Apparatus and method enable imaging multiple fluorescent sample particles in a single flow channel. A flow channel defines a flow direction for samples in a flow stream and has a viewing plane perpendicular to the flow direction. A laser beam is formed as a ribbon having a width effective to cover the viewing plane. Imaging optics are arranged to view the viewing plane to form an image of the fluorescent sample particles in the flow stream, and a camera records the image formed by the imaging optics.
