Applications Suitable for CO₂ Incubators

strat init stem cell medicine lab feature 0422 - Applications Suitable for CO₂ Incubators

CO₂ incubators are widely used in scientific research. Typical fields of application include the following:

Neuroscience

Neurobiology is the study of nervous system cells and how these cells are arranged into functioning circuits that process information and regulate behavior. The development of human understanding of how the nervous system works has been largely attributed to the capacity to create in vitro cultures of neural and neuronal cells.

Liquid neuronal cell culture media must have the ideal ratio of minerals, vitamins, and salts, as well as the appropriate growth conditions (temperature, humidity, and CO2 level) to maintain the viability of tissue-extracted cells in the lab. The CO2 incubator handles the duty of controlling temperature, humidity, and O2/CO2 levels while providing cells with an environment free of contaminants.

Stem Cell Research

Stem cell research is the field of research where stem cells are studied for their possible applications in medicine. Stem cells are cells in the body that have the potential to develop into cells that perform a variety of functions in various parts of the body. Therefore, scientists are studying their ability to repair or regenerate damaged tissues and organs, which could lead to treatments for diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. Even though it was introduced in the late 1950s, there is still a lot of work to be done, hence the ongoing research.

In stem cell research, CO2 incubators are critical when it comes to handling cell cultures, maintaining sterile conditions, and ensuring maximum safety. It provides an optimal environment to develop cell and tissue cultures while protecting against potential contamination.

In Vitro Fertilization

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a procedure where the sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell within an external environment instead of having it inside the human womb. The external environment must mimic a woman’s uterus to facilitate successful fertilization. IVF technology employs CO2 incubators in this procedure to temporarily house the embryos while providing the ideal environmental conditions that are vital for the embryo’s growth.

Presently, IVF applications use three types of incubators: dry CO2 incubators, humidified CO2 incubators, and time-lapse CO2 incubators, where the following parameters are accurately maintained and monitored:

  • Temperature
  • Oxygen Level
  • Carbon Dioxide level
  • Decontaminating Agents

The CO2 incubator functions as the artificial womb where embryos will develop until their maturity and then will be moved into an actual human uterus.

Tissue Engineering

Tissue Engineering is the process of developing functional tissues or biological substitutes by combining cells and biologically active molecules. Tissue-engineered products can restore, maintain, or fix damaged tissues and can be used to develop novel treatments.

Cellular processes play a key role in the replication of bioartificial organs; therefore, successful tissue culture and cell cultivation are vital. The design and use of equipment such as the CO2 Incubator and bioreactors must be considered to create valuable biomaterials. A reliable COincubator should provide a humidified atmosphere with constant temperature and carbon dioxide control to achieve an optimal environment for cell growth.

Mammalian Cell Research

One of the fundamental principles of life sciences is mammalian cell culture. The rapid advancement in fields like cell biology, immunology, and cancer research would not be possible without the ability to grow cells in the laboratory. Mammalian cells, including primary cells and cell lines, are essential experimental materials widely used in research, clinical, and pharmaceutical applications.

Animal tissue cells can be isolated and cultured to produce functional cells or tissue analogs for regenerative medicine, virus vaccinations, and various therapeutic proteins and used as a research tool. Chemical engineers maximize the potential of mammalian cells, particularly in the design and optimization of processes. Unless a specific research goal is required, mammalian cells are typically cultivated at 37°C in a CO2 incubator with 5% CO2.

Cancer Research

Over the years, researchers have been committedly looking for and finding better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. Progress in cancer research established terrific strides, and technologies used had to keep pace. One of the many engineering controls that significantly made cancer research advance is the CO2 incubator—a staple equipment in research laboratories.

Experimental and clinical studies have suggested that an environment with different Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels influences the growth of cultured cancer cells. Targeted therapies have revolutionized cancer treatments and pathophysiological high levels of CO2 are reported to be closely associated with the tumor microenvironment. It stimulates responses from diverse cancer cells to provide a better visual field for treating cancer. Although studies on the biological effects of elevated CO2 levels on cancer cells are still evolving, it is still of paramount importance that all possible outcomes are being exhausted to further progress cancer research.

Shop new CO2 Incubators here or contact GMI to learn more.

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