Abstract
We describe a charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging system for microarrays capable of acquiring quantitative, high dynamic range images of very large fields. Illumination is supplied by an arc lamp, and filters are used to define excitation and emission bands. The system is linear down to fluorochrome densities ≪1 molecule/μm2. The ratios of the illumination intensity distributions for all excitation wavelengths have a maximum deviation ∼±4% over the object field, so that images can be analyzed without computational corrections for the illumination pattern unless higher accuracy is desired. Custom designed detection optics produce achromatic images of the spectral region from ∼450 to ∼750 nm. Acquisition of a series of images of multiple fluorochromes from multiple arrays occurs under computer control. The version of the system described in detail provides images of 20 mm square areas using a 27 mm square, 2K × 2K pixel, cooled CCD chip with a well depth of ∼105 electrons, and provides ratio measurements accurate to a few percent over a dynamic range in intensity >1000. Resolution referred to the sample is 10 μm, sufficient for obtaining quantitative multicolor images from >30 000 array elements in an 18 mm × 18 mm square.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Article number | e58 |
Journal | Nucleic acids research |
Volume | 34 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Genetics