Virtual Lab Tour

I- Tissue Culture Area

A- The Laminar flow hoods also known as biological safety cabinet, is best for working on non-pathogenic biological samples, cell and tissue cultures, pharmaceutical products, etc. The hoods are equipped with a HEPA filter that can be displaced the air continuously to remove the particulates from the air and provides under pressure conditions in the work area for giving a good protection level to the product, to the operator as well as the environment. The hoods are equipped with a short-wave UV light that can be turned on for a few minutes to sterilize the surfaces of the hood. The hoods are stands in isolated areas.

B- CO2 Incubators are where the cells are grown in an atmosphere of 5-10% CO2 because the medium used is buffered with sodium bicarbonate/carbonic acid and the pH must be strictly maintained. Culture flasks should have loosened caps to allow for sufficient gas exchange. the incubator doors should not be opened for long time because the humidity must also be maintained for those cells growing in tissue culture dishes so a pan of water is kept filled at all times.

C- Tissue Culture Microscopes. Inverted phase contrast microscope is a major supplier of microscopes for biological applications utilizing living tissue cells in petri dishes and flasks. Tissue culture specimens are often grown in petri dishes, well plates or flasks and need to be viewed from the bottom of the adhesion surfaces. This requires the microscope to be inverted, with the microscope objectives pointing upward, thus the name inverted tissue culture microscope. The tissue culture microscope carries a digital camera to capture still and video digital files on the computer connected to microscope camera.

D- Shaking Water Bath System is a device that can be used as a shaking bath,
shaker only, or water bath only. This unique, dual action shaker can be used for both linear and circular movement. The agitation speed are user-adjustable – 2 to 12 mm and 30 to 180 RPM respectively. Flask holders capable of holding 25, 50, 125, 250, 500, or 1000 ml flasks.

E- Magnetic Hotplate Stirrer is a single device that used for heating and stirring liquids with a magnetic stir bar. One knob controls the rate of stirring, and one knob controls heating.

F. Vessels Anchorage dependent cells require a nontoxic, biologically inert, and optically transparent surface that will allow cells to attach and allow movement for growth. The most convenient vessels are specially-treated polystyrene plastic that are supplied sterile and are disposable. These include petri dishes, multi-well plates, microtiter plates, roller bottles, and screwcap flasks - T-25, T-75, T-150 (cm2 of surface area). Suspension cells are shaken, stirred, or grown in vessels identical to those used for anchorage-dependent cells.

G- Live imaging system this is equipment that capable to maintain cells outside the hoods and following their reactions with digital systems.
 
II- Preservation and Storage Area

Liquid N2 is used to preserve tissue culture cells, either in the liquid phase (-196°C) or in the vapor phase (-156°C).

A- The -80°C Freezer is where the cells slowly cooled from room temperature to -80°C to allow the water to move out of the cells before it freezes since freezing can be lethal to cells. The optimal rate of cooling is 1°-3°C per minute once the container has reached -80°C (about 4 hours or, more conveniently, overnight) the vials are removed from the freezer and immediately placed in the liquid nitrogen storage tank.

B- The Liquid Nitrogen Storage Tank is where the cells stored at liquid nitrogen temperatures because the growth of ice crystals is retarded below -130°C. To maximize recovery of the cells when thawing, the cells are warmed very quickly by placing the tube directly from the liquid nitrogen container into a 37°C water bath with moderate shaking. As soon as the last ice crystal is melted, the cells are immediately diluted into prewarmed medium.

III-Cell Counting Area

A- Hemocytometer or Cell Counting Chamber is frequently used to count cell density of cultured cells in research labs.
 
B- Coulter Counter is a device for counting individual cells. Cells are made to flow through a short, narrow channel while the resistance of the channel is measured. Because the cell blocks part of the channel, the resistance will increase while the cell is in the channel. This transient change can be used not only to count cells, but to estimate their size. The channel cross-sectional area needs to be small enough that the cell blocks a significant fraction of it.   

IV-Sterilization Area

A-  Autoclave is a device that uses steam to sterilize equipment and other objects. This means that all bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores are inactivated. 

V-Lyophilization Area

A- Lyophilizer is a device that consists of a vacuum chamber that contains product shelves capable of cooling and heating containers and their contents. A vacuum pump, a refrigeration unit, and associated controls are connected to the vacuum chamber.