High Content Screening
The automated microscope (Axiovert 200M, Carl Zeiss, Jena) in the ArrayScan VTI Live (Cellomics Inc., Pittsbourgh) has been integrated into the FreedomEvo-System (Tecan AG, Switzerland) placed in a sterile hood by BDK. The screening process is completely automated starting with harvesting of cells from flasks for transfer to microtiter plates and control of yields in a microplate reader for go or no-go decisions for individuel flasks. The process includes the fluorescent staining and ends with automated feeding of test plates to the microscope. The software of Cellomics documents images and identifies objects with conversion of fluorescence intensities to multiparameter tables for effective analysis of screening data allowing to track back to single cells for analysis of screens.
System Configuration
Two incubators at the back harbour compound plates of the library (protected under nitrogen gas) or cell culture flasks and test plates in 384well format (CO2 for cell culture plates). A pipetting head with 384 metal needles allows pipetting of 0.4 to 40 µl volumes for transfer of compounds or seeding of cells and staining with fluorescent dyes (TeMo, left). An eight needle pipetting module (LiHa) allows pipetting of reference compounds or stimulating reagents directly before imaging on the microscope. Automated refill and temperatured reservoirs (8°C.) provide medium and wash solutions or temperature sensitive stimulators for the screening process. The incubation chamber of the ArrayScan provides C02, humidity and temparature control during stimulation by injection of hormones or protein factors. This enables stimulation and documentation of cellular events (kinetics) over hours in reaction volumes of 20-40 µl in the 384well-format.
Two pilot projects with the University of Oslo and the Max-Delbrück-Center have been already supported by the system.