BioTek Instruments will begin shipping its Cytation3 cell imaging multimode microplate reader in July. The system is available as a microplate reader, a microscope or both. The reader uses BioTek’s “hybrid” technology of filter-based and monochromator optics to measure absorbance, fluorescence and luminescence. The microscope uses inverted fluorescence and brightfield imaging and provides CCD-based image capturing and automated cell counting. The Cytation3 works with microscope slides and 6- to 384-well microplates.

The stand-alone system is fully upgradeable. BioTek Product Marketing Manager Xavier Amouretti told IBO that he expects most users to purchase either the microscope only or the combination system. As a combination system, the Cytation3 is designed to save space. Instead of imaging each well, the user can set criteria to image only selected wells after the initial plate reading. Additional features on the Cytation3 include a temperature control module, an oxygen and carbon dioxide control module, and a microplate stacker to automatically deliver up to 50 plates to the system.

Applications of particular focus for BioTek include cell proliferation to monitor how cells grow and develop, cell toxicity of new drug prospects, and protein expression for cancer and neuroscience research. “Among thousands of proteins that a cell expresses, with imaging, you can look at one very specific protein and see how it is expressed in the cell, where and in what quantity,” said Mr. Amouretti. Depending on options, the Cytation3 is priced from $35,000 to $80,000.