A stable temperature simulating body temperature native to cultured cells (in most cases 37˚C) is critical to all cultured cells, but especially for sensitive cell types. A temperature of only 1˚C above 37˚C is detrimental and even immortalized cells will be degraded with temperatures of 2˚C above normal [2].

2. Freshney RI. Culture of Animal Cells (2016). 7th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken NJ.

Temperature stability ›

Temperature recovery ›

Temperature in closed Cell Locker chambers remains stable when one chamber is opened.

When Cell Locker chamber 4 is opened for 30 seconds, the temperature drops from 37˚C to 35˚C. Following the door closing, the temperature rapidly recovers. Meanwhile, the temperature in Cell Locker chambers 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 remains steady at 37 ˚C ±0.3˚C. Results are consistent for any opened Cell Locker chamber.

Temperature in an opened Cell Locker chamber drops less and recovers faster compared to a traditional incubator.

 

Results are consistent for any chamber in the Cell Locker System.

Carbon dioxide works with the buffer in culture growth media to maintain stable culture pH, mimicking what happens in the vertebrate bloodstream. All cells in the body produce CO2 as a by-product of metabolism, and in the blood, bicarbonate ions are a native buffer. In the lungs, waste CO2 is approximately 5%, similar to the concentration most often used in culture, in concert with 2 mg/mL sodium bicarbonate in growth media. When pH drifts too far from physiological 7.4, cells may develop morphological stress indicators such as granules in the cytoplasm, membrane detaching and other changes [2,3].

2. Freshney RI. Culture of Animal Cells (2016). 7th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken NJ.

3. Lo C-M, Keese CR, and Giaever I (1994) pH changes in pulsed CO2 incubators cause periodic changes in cell morphology. Exp Cell Res. 213:391-397.

CO2 stability ›

CO2 recovery ›

Carbon dioxide concentration in closed Cell Locker chambers remains constant when one chamber is opened.

When Cell Locker chamber 4 is opened for 30 seconds, the CO2 level drops rapidly from 5%; similar to any CO2 incubator. The remaining 5 chambers remain at stable CO2 of 5% ± 0.2%.  Results are consistent for any opened Cell Locker chamber.

Recovery of CO2 concentration will vary from 14 to 18 minutes depending upon which Cell Locker chamber is opened.

 

When a Cell Locker chamber or a standard incubator door is opened for 30 seconds, the CO2 concentration drops from the setpoint of 5% to less than 1%, as conditions mix with the ambient room CO2 of 0.04%. The incubator recovers to 5% CO2 in 5.7 minutes. Here, the opened Cell Locker chamber recovery is 13.8 minutes. CO2 gas is heavier than air and harder to circulate, so CO2 recovery in a Cell Locker chamber will take longer. This recovery time is consistent with recovery in many other available incubators.

Many primary cells, stem cells, neurons, and other cell types grow faster with fewer stress indicators, less differentiation, and longer life when cultured under reduced O2, mimicking hypoxic conditions in vivo [4]. In the body, O2 concentration varies from 1–4% in the brain and bone marrow to 12–14% in the bloodstream and lungs. Because O2 affects nearly every cellular process, differences in oxygen concentration can mean varied cell responses in experiments.

When a standard hypoxic incubator door is opened for 30 seconds, the entire chamber rises to 15–16% O2, approaching atmospheric oxygen of 21%. But in the Cell Locker System, when one chamber is opened, the neighboring five unopened chambers only see an increase of about 2%. So cells remain in nearly stable O2 for more uniform results.

4. Bates MK (2012) Culturing cells under hypoxic conditions for biologically relevant results. American Laboratory.

O2 stability ›

O2 recovery ›

For cell culture under hypoxic conditions, the benefit of the Cell Locker System is very clear, maintaining nearly stable oxygen.

 

Under hypoxic conditions of 1% oxygen, when Cell Locker chamber 4 is opened, the other closed chambers remain stable, with an O2 increase of approximately 2%, while chamber 4, like most hypoxic incubators, briefly returns to atmospheric O2 of 21%. Results are consistent for any opened Cell Locker chamber.

At physiological O2 concentration of about 2 to 6%, the Cell Locker System recovers faster compared to a standard hypoxic incubator.

At higher oxygen, the Cell Locker System recovers even faster. Results are consistent for any opened chamber in the Cell Locker System.

High relative humidity (RH) is very important for sensitive cells because it prevents evaporation of water from growth media. Evaporation only involves removal of water, so the remaining salts, minerals, and other nutrients become more concentrated as a result, and can reach concentrations that are toxic for many cell types. But the Cell Locker System reduces evaporation and enables faster humidity recovery, providing improved maintenance of precisely balanced growth media.

RH stability ›

RH recovery ›

Relative humidity in closed Cell Locker chambers remains constant when one chamber is opened.

When Cell Locker chamber 4 is opened for 30 seconds, the humidity level drops to ambient humidity—here, approximately 30%. But the remaining unopened chambers hold at the incubator-set humidity of 93.8% ±3%. Results are consistent for any opened Cell Locker chamber.

Humidity recovery in an opened Cell Locker chamber is similar to that in a standard Heracell VIOS 160i CO2 incubator.

 

Results are consistent for any opened chamber in the Cell Locker System.

Temperature  ›

Humidity  ›

Carbon dioxide concentration  ›

Oxygen concentration  ›

Cell Locker System

Application

Protection

Segregation

Uniformity

Stability

Parameters

Saves gas

Evaporation

Materials & methods

Summary

  •  

    Cell Locker System

    Application

    Protection

    Segregation

    Uniformity

    Stability

    Parameters

    Saves gas

    Evaporation

    Materials & methods

    Summary