Why is a Circulating Fan Essential for Superior Growth Conditions in a CO2 Cell Culture Incubator?
In order to ensure the best cell growth, a well-controlled, healthy environment is required. However, when an incubator door is opened physics dictate that the conditions inside will begin to equilibrate with those of the external atmosphere. In order to minimize stress to cells from change in temperature, CO2 and humidity levels, it is desirable to recover to experimental conditions as soon as possible after the door is closed. The use of an integrated fan provides the fastest recovery to desired conditions and only a circulating fan can provide truly uniform conditions from top to bottom and side to side in an incubator.
Active Airflow and Proper Cell Growth
Active Airflow Circulation and Uniform Growth Conditions
Without a uniform environment throughout your CO2 incubator, cells in different areas can experience different conditions leading to confusing results. Thermo Scientific™ fan-assisted incubator designs ensure homogeneous conditions throughout the entire chamber, so that all cells experience the same temperature, gas exchange, and humidity regardless of their location in the growth chamber. These standardized conditions form the basis of good, controlled science and meaningful, reproducible results.
Stratification of Incubator Conditions and Compromised Research Results
An incubator with no fan relies upon gravity convection and thus slow moving thermal currents for humidity transport and gas exchange. This design results in slow recovery rates such that frequent door openings can prevent your cultures from experiencing adequate exposure to your selected culturing conditions.
"Lack of uniformity within the chamber can create variation among your cell cultures with a negative impact upon your project goals."
This is especially critical in an incubator with variable oxygen control, since oxygen concentration affects nearly every cellular process. In addition, incubators without fans do not benefit from the positive pressure that helps to prevent the entry of unwanted environmental microorganisms during door opening. The airflow systems in Thermo Scientific™ incubators, such as the Thermo Scientific™ Heracell™ VIOS 160i and 250i CO2 Incubators, are specifically engineered to provide a continuous, gentle flow pattern directed around the sides of the chamber to prevent disruption, evaporation, and desiccation of culture media. A comparison of the recovery times in Thermo Scientific™ incubators versus the fanless designs of two competitors are shown in figure 1.
Summary
Thermo Scientific™ CO2 incubators with precisely designed fan-assisted airflow systems provide more efficient circulation of critical temperature, gas, and humidity conditions in order to provide healthy, uniform cells.
