Has the same optical and specimen accommodations as the standard FCS2 without temperature control.
Price range: $1,475.25 through $2,999.25
The No-Heat Focht Chamber System 2 (FCS2®) is a closed chamber system, live-cell micro-observation flow chamber that utilizes several patented technologies that offer several exclusive advantages over other flow chambers. It provides a user definable perfusion cavity, and is fully compatible with all modes of microscopy. It is also the only chamber to combine high-volume laminar flow perfusion rates with Koehler illumination without the need for an air curtain. This is accomplished by the development of microaqueduct perfusion technology. A method of introducing media into a fluid optical cavity where the separation of optical surfaces and flow geometry is definable by the user. Therefore, the chamber is adaptable to the protocol instead of having to adapt the protocol to the chamber.
Key Features:
Chambers include: FCS2 Perfusion top & FCS2 Base
Chambers require: gaskets, coverslips, stage adapter and microaquaduct slides
Starter sets include: FCS2 perfusion top, FCS2 Base, (5) Microaqueduct Slides (non coated), (100) #1.5 40mm coverslips, (30pc) gasket set
Starter set includes all items for a ready to use chamber out of the box other than a stage adapter.
A fluid pathway is formed by separating the Microaqueduct Slide from the coverslip containing cells with a single silicone gasket. This gasket can be any thickness from 50 micron to 1mm and any lateral geometry you choose or create. This arrangement allows the user to define the flow characteristics. Therefore, you are not limited by the geometry of the optical cavity. Instead you select or create it. Fluid access to this flow channel is made through two 14-gauge needle stock tubes (0.083″) or 1/16″ tubing (0.062″) protruding from the sides of the chamber top. These tubes provide fluid connection to two perfusion holes in the Microaqueduct Slide that interface two “T” shaped grooves cut into the inner surface of the Microaqueduct Slide. The “T” groove allows the media to seek the path of least resistance and become nearly laminar before flowing across the cells. This technique eliminates the need for the metal perfusion ring and additional gaskets, which are the limiting factors, required by most conventional chambers.
Flow Characteristics:
The flow cell is easily modified with a variety of gasket geometries (see additional gaskets image for wide variety of examples), and a gasket thicknesses ranging from 0.1mm to 1mm. If the entire scope is in an environmental enclosure or, doesn’t need temperature control, the FCS2 is available in the following configuration and provides a substantial savings without the temperature control. The chamber can also be upgraded to a heated chamber in the future if protocols change.
