Click here to see the current data sheet for the ECU.
Click here to see the current data sheet for the Stagetop Environmental System.

Features

• Four programmable digital control loops:
• Independent incubator base temperature PID control with ±0.1ºC precision
• Independent incubator lid temperature PID control with ±0.1ºC precision
• CO₂ digital PID control with ±0.1% precision
• Airflow digital PID control from 0–900 SCCM
• Requires 100% CO₂, N2 and ambient air supplies
• USB-based remote control and data logging
• Electronic flow meter
• Programmable alarm for out of tolerance condition on all four channels
• Compact and lightweight
• Monitor and control the CO₂ and O₂ flow and temperature in a microcope chamber or stagetop environment
• Includes internal CO₂ sensor
• This unit is for orders placed outside of the USA. For USA orders, please see ST-HOC-IV

Benefits

• Compact housing that fits most inverted microscope stages and holds standard culture well plates
• Control temperature and CO₂ using the Environmental Control Unit (ECU)
• Control and monitor system parameters using the ECU

Applications

• For short term or long term studies of living cell cultures under a microscope (Live Cell Imaging)
• Time lapse video research

Time lapse video research requires a microscope stagetop incubator.

Compact housing that fits most inverted microscope stages

Perfect for Live Cell Imaging, STEV2 (the stagetop environmental control platform) is a compact environmental case that houses your culture wells and fits on a microscope stage inside the live cell microscope incubator.

Control temperature, CO_{2 and} O₂ levels

This system offers precision control of both temperature and carbon dioxide, as well as remote control and data logging via a USB connection. The system is flexible and easy to configure for a variety of experimental conditions. Requires 100% CO₂, N₂ and ambient air supplies.

Control and monitor system parameters

The system includes the Environmental Control Unit electronics which use four programmable loops to control the temperatures of the case and the lid, CO₂ within the environmental case and airflow within the incubator.

System options

This system offers precision control of both temperature and carbon dioxide, as well as remote control and data logging via a USB connection. The system is flexible and easy to configure for a variety of experimental conditions.

The carbon dioxide sensor is located in the incubator chamber (STEV2) wall. Feedback from this sensor allows the ECU to control the concentration of CO₂ from 0–20%.This controller offers a background flow rate of 0–950 SCCM.

The system comes in three configurations:

• ST-H5–Pre-mixed CO₂ gas of the desired concentration is pumped into the system, and this ECU regulates the airflow at the desired level. It also controls the heating and monitors the environment chamber.
• ST-HC–This control unit mixes the air and CO₂ gas to the desired concentration. An internal CO₂ sensor (inside the ECU controller) monitors the concentration of the gas. The ST-HC regulates the airflow at the desired level, controls the heating of the system and monitors the environment chamber.
• ST-HOC–This unit performs like the ST-HC. In addition to controlling the temperature and CO₂, this unit also controls the O₂ level. Nitrogen is used to displace oxygen from the background air, which generally has about 20.7% oxygen. The O₂ level of the background gas can be regulated down to as low as 1%.

Stagetop environment chamber

This system is comprised of the Stagetop Environment (STEV2) and the Environmental Control Unit (ECU) electronics. The Stagetop Environment Incubator was engineered for ease of use.

• An airtight lid that snaps into place
• An electrical interface is integrated into the lid and the chamber, eliminating a cord between the lid and the base unit
• All water and gas connection ports are located on one side of the unit to facilitate setup
• Perfusion ports can be used with microfluidic applications or for gas transfer
• The base unit houses a variety of standard well plates
• The unit fits on nearly any inverted microscope
• A lens heater may be added and controlled by the ECU, if necessary
• A temperature probe may be positioned in any well for monitoring temperature inside the the STEV2
• Wall of the chamber is filled with water to eliminate temperature fluctuations and humidify gas entering the chamber
• A thumbhold built into the lid makes it easy to remove the lid when necessary.

The Stagetop Environment incubator is shown with the cover removed.

The water reservoir inside the incubator wall serves two purposes. When it is heated, it helps to maintain the temperature of the chamber. Second, it humidifies the mixed gas as the gas travels through water permeable tubing inside the water reservoir. Connect a syringe filled with distilled water to the luer fitting on the Water Reservoir Filling Port. Fill the chamber until the water comes out of the Water Reservoir Overflow Port.

This image shows how a syringe can be attached to the water reservoir filling port to fill the STEV2 water reservoir.

Auxiliary options

The standard environmental control unit has a heated incubator (with a heated glass lid) and CO₂ control. In the event that your application uses a heated microscope chamber, this system connects with an AirTherm Satellite heater or a lens heater.