Proteins and nucleic acids are frequently labeled with a radioisotope such as 32P, to facilitate their identification and quantitation following chromatographic separation. Techniques based on the use of radioactive labels are still widely used in applications that require high sensitivity. In recent years, fluorescence, and chemiluminescence have emerged as alternative technologies to the traditional highly sensitive radioisotope-based systems.
Our Gel-Imaging facility offers various imaging instruments. The Li-Cor Odyssey is an imaging system for near IR fluorescence used for a wide-range of applications such as Quantitative Western Blot In-Cell Western, assay EMSA/Gel Shift assay, Coomassie Stains & Gel documentation, Nucleic Acid Gel documentation, RNAi analysis, Tissue Section imaging.
The ChemiDoc XRS+ system is based on CCD high-resolution, high-sensitivity detection technology and modular options to accommodate a wide range of samples and support multiple detection methods including fluorescence, colorimetry, densitometry, chemiluminescence, and chemifluorescence. The system accommodates a wide array of samples, from large handcast polyacrylamide gels to small ReadyAgarose gels and various blots.
On the other hand we have the FLA-9500 which can carry out imaging of both fluorescent gels and of imaging radioisotope-labeled samples. Typhoon FLA 9500 is a variable mode laser scanner with modular access to the optical components, providing both versatile and flexible imaging for precise quantitation of proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules. The system provides several imaging modes at any time, including fluorescence and chemifluorescence, filmless autoradiography, and digitization of colorimetrically-stained samples.
Samples include agarose and polyacrylamide gels, membranes, DIGE gels, radioisotope-labeled samples, as well as microplates and glass slides with the TP plug-in. The system can simultaneously scan two DIGE gels, each measuring up to 20 x 25 cm. The stages are easily removed from the system for cleaning.
