Bio-Rad Image Lab Software User Manual
Gel Doc™ EZ Imaging
System with Image Lab
Software
Version 5.1
™
Notice
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information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from
Bio-Rad.
Bio-Rad reserves the right to modify its products and services at any time. This
user guide is subject to change without notice. Although prepared to ensure
accuracy, Bio-Rad assumes no liability for errors or omissions, or for any
damage resulting from the application or use of this information.
Precision Plus Protein standards are sold under license from Life Technologies
Corporation, Carlsbad, CA, for use only by the buyer of the product. The buyer
is not authorized to sell or resell this product or its components.
Coomassie is a trademark of BASF Aktiengesellschaft. Coomassie Fluor is a
trademark of Invitrogen Corp. Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows are trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation. GelGreen and GelRed are trademarks of Biotium,
Inc. Krypton is a trademark of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Mac, Mac OS, and
Numbers are trademarks of Apple Inc. SYPRO is a trademark of Invitrogen
Corporation. Intel and Intel Core are trademarks of Intel Corporation.
Mitsubishi is a trademark of Mitsubishi Companies. PulseNet International is a
trademark of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SYBR is a trademark of Life Technologies, Inc. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. is
licensed by Life Technologies, Inc. to sell reagents containing SYBR Green I for
use in real-time PCR, for research purposes only.
Criterion Stain Free gels are covered by U.S. Pat. No. 7,569,130. Bio-Rad
Laboratories, Inc. is licensed by Invitrogen Corporation to sell SYPRO products
for research use only under U.S. Patent Number 5,616,502.
Copyright © 2014 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Safety and Regulatory Compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Safety Use Specifications and Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Instrument Safety Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Chapter 1 System Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Gel Doc EZ Imaging System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Image Lab Software Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Gel Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Molecular Weight Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Quantification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Chapter 2 Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software . . . .19
System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Image Lab Security Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Computer Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Installing Image Lab Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Connecting the Imager to the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Installing the Drivers on a Windows XP Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Installing the Drivers on a Windows 7 Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Configuring the Imager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Initializing an Additional Tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Setting Up Image Lab Security Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Activating and Deactivating Security Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
User Guide | iii
Table of Contents
Enabling and Disabling Image Lab Secure Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Setting Security Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Renaming Security Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Using Groups on a Local Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Changing Security Preferences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Chapter 3 Image Lab Software Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Interface Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Main Window. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Main Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Results Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Display Toolbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Start Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Analysis Tool Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Menu Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Chapter 4 Acquiring Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Selecting a Sample Tray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Setting Up a Default Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Acquisition Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Analyze Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Regression Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Output Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Review Protocol Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Running a Default Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Creating a Multichannel Image from Single Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Setting Up a Custom Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Selecting a Custom Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Running a Custom Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Editing Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
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Chapter 5 Viewing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Displaying Gel Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Display Gel Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Zoom Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Fit in Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Image Transform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Image Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
3-D Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Image Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Displaying Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Analysis Table Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Lane and Band Table Measurement Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Volume Measurement Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Lane Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Standard Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Chapter 6 Analyzing Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Using Auto Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Analysis Tool Box Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Image Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Correcting a Slanted Gel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Cropping a Gel Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Inverting Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Merging Images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Lane and Bands Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Detecting Lanes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Using the All Lanes and Single Lane Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Copying Lanes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Detecting Bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Editing the Detected Bands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Molecular Weight (MW) Analysis Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Quantity Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
Annotation Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
Add Annotations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
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Alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Text Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Rotate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Volume Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Chapter 7 Generating Reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Report Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Print Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Print Report to a PDF File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Adjust the Printer Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Chapter 8 Exporting Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Exporting Gel Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Exporting Gel Images for Publication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Exporting Gel Images for Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Exporting Gel Images to PulseNet International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Exporting Lane and Band Tables to Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Exporting Volume Tables to File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Screenshot Tool Export. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Analysis Table Export . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Chapter 9 Image Lab Logs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Image Lab Logs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Viewing the Instrument Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Viewing the System Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Viewing the Document Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Displaying Log Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Displaying Data Columns in Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Filtering Data in Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Collapsing or Expanding Data Rows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Exporting Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
Printing Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
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Chapter 10 Using the Security Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
21 CFR Part 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Standard Mode versus Secure Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
User Names, Groups, and Roles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Role Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Starting Image Lab Security Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Electronic Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Unsecured Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Secure Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Modifying Secure Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Signing Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Document Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Viewing the Document Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Appendix A Maintenance and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Cleaning the Sample Trays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
UV-B Fluorescent Lamp Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Appendix B Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Appendix C Setting Up Users and Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Setting Up Image Lab Users and Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
User Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
User Authentication and Group Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Finding the name of your authentication domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Configuring Users and Groups on a Local Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Configuring Users and Groups on a Network Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Password Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Password Policy Setting Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Account Lockout Policy Setting Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Auditing Windows Event Logs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Miscellaneous Security Measures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
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Appendix D Using Bio-Rad’s Stain-Free Technology . . . . . . . . . 199
Stain-Free Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Electrophoresis with Stain-Free Gels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Imaging Gels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Imaging Blots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Appendix E Regression Calculation Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Appendix F Mitsubishi P93/P95 Thermal Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Setting up a Thermal Printer on Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Setting up a Thermal Printer on a Mac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
viii | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Safety and Regulatory Compliance
The Gel Doc™ EZ imaging system is intended for laboratory use only. To help you
make informed decisions about safety, we have provided comprehensive operating
procedures and safety information in this manual and on labels affixed to the imager.
This information will alert you to any potential hazards. It is the user’s responsibility
to read and understand the safety information and use it for safe operation of the
system.
Safety Use Specifications and Compliance
The Gel Doc EZ imager is designed and certified to meet EN61010, the
internationally accepted electrical safety standard, and EN61326 Class A EMC
regulations. Certified products are safe to use when operated in accordance with
the instruction manual.
This instrument should not be modified or altered in any way. Modification or
alteration of this instrument will:
Void the manufacturer’s warranty
Void the regulatory certifications
User Guide | 9
Safety and Regulatory Compliance
Create a potential safety hazard
Fig. 1. Gel Doc EZ imager certification label.
For easy customer access, the serial number appears in two locations on your
instrument: on the back panel and inside the front door.
Instrument Safety Warnings
Notes, cautions, and warnings are used to highlight certain operating procedures
and recommendations. The table below describes how each is used in this
document.
Table 1. Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
Icon Meaning
Note: Note: A note indicates a special procedure, an exception to normal
operation or something else of specific interest to the reader. Notes are
preceded by the word Note.
Caution: A caution precedes an operational step that could damage the
instrument or destroy data unless the operator takes certain precautions.
Cautions located in the main text are preceded by the word Caution and are
accompanied by the Caution symbol in the left margin.
10 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Table 1. Notes, Cautions, and Warnings, continued
Icon Meaning
Caution: With the exception of cleaning or replacing light bulbs, refer all
servicing to qualified Bio-Rad personnel or their agents. If you experience
technical difficulties with the instrument, contact Bio-Rad to schedule
service. The instrument should not be modified or altered in any way.
Alteration voids the manufacturer’s warranty and might create a potential
safety hazard for the user.
Caution: If the case interlock is defeated, ther
radiation hazard due to UV-B light exposure. Exercise caution when
servicing the instrument.
Caution: Bio-Rad is not responsible for any injury or damage caused by the
use of this instrument for purposes other than that for which it is intended, or
by the modification of this instrument when not performed by qualified BioRad personnel or their agents.
Caution:
Disconnect the AC power cord before removing the instrument
cover.
Warning: A warning precedes an operating procedure that could cause
injury to the operator if not followed correctly. Warnings located in the main
text are preceded by the word Warning and are accompanied by the
Warning symbol in the left margin.
Warning: This instrument must be connected to an appr
outlet that is pr
operly grounded.
Instrument Safety Warnings
e is a possibility of UV
opriate AC voltage
-B
Notice
This system is meant for use by specialized personnel who know the health risks
associated with reagents normally used in electrophoresis. The UV light source is
computer controlled, and proper interlocks are implemented to avoid users’
accidental exposure to UV radiation. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. is not responsible
for any injury or damage caused by use of this instrument for purposes other than
those for which it is intended, or for instrument modifications not performed by BioRad Laboratories, Inc. or an authorized agent.
User Guide | 1 1
Safety and Regulatory Compliance
Warranty
Each Gel Doc EZ imager is protected by a comprehensive instrument warranty
agreement. Please read this manual thoroughly so that you fully understand the
coverage provided and are aware of your rights and responsibilities. One of the
responsibilities of system ownership is regular maintenance. Following the
maintenance instructions provided with this manual will help keep your system and
peripherals functioning optimally and will protect your investment. Bio-Rad offers a
range of comprehensive service agreements that can be tailored to meet your
specific needs. Bio-Rad Laboratories is dedicated to your total satisfaction and will
be pleased to answer any questions you might have.
12 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
1 System Overview
This manual describes the Gel Doc™ EZ imaging system, which consists of the Gel
Doc EZ imager and Image Lab™software.
The Gel Doc EZ imager supports multiple applications, including Coomassie and
ethidium bromide staining, blue excitation for nondestructive DNA visualization, and
stain-free gel imaging.
When coupled with the stain-free gel tray, the Gel Doc EZ imager represents the
next generation in stain-fr
results with higher image quality, and is so simple to use it requires no training, even
for users who are not familiar with image analysis systems. The Gel Doc EZ imager’s
compact size frees up benchspace for running your experiments.
ee imaging. It featur
es one-button acquisition, yields quick
User Guide | 1 3
1 | System Overview
The Gel Doc EZ imager is a reproducible and fast label-free SDS-PAGE/native PAGE
system that eliminates time-consuming staining and destaining steps. Image Lab
image acquisition and analysis software works with the Gel Doc EZ imager to create
an automated and time-saving system to image and analyze electrophoresis gels.
Data can be viewed, modified, and reported using Image Lab software.
Image Lab protocols can automate gel image acquisition, analysis, and report
generation with the push of a single button on the imager
Researchers can run default protocols or easily design their own custom protocols.
Image Lab enables you to view analyzed data, adjust the analysis, and pr
customized reports that show precisely the settings that were applied, assuring
repeatable results.
.
oduce
14 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Gel Doc EZ Imaging System
The Gel Doc EZ imaging system is a dedicated low-noise detection camera and UV
transilluminator–based system with a small footprint. Designed for economy,
automation, and ease of use, the user interface consists of a set of four sample
trays and a one-touch button to image your gel using a protocol.
Gel Doc EZ Imaging System
Fig. 2. Gel Doc EZ imager, catalog #170-8270.
Note: This catalog number is for the imager with the stain-free tray only. The
other trays must be purchased separately.
User Guide | 1 5
1 | System Overview
Four sample trays are available for the Gel Doc EZ imager. Each tray supports
applications requiring a different set of stains and detection reagents, as shown in
Table 2.
Table 2. Sample Tray Types and Detection Reagents
UV Tray
Catalog #170-8271
Ethidium bromide Fast Blast™ DNA
SYBR® Green Coomassie Blue
SYBR® Safe Copper stain SYBR® Gold
SYBR® Gold Zinc stain GelGreen
GelGreen Silver stain
GelRed
Flamingo™
fluor
escent gel stain
Oriole™ fluor
gel stain
Coomassie Fluor
Orange
SYPRO Ruby
Krypton
escent
White Light Tray
Catalog
#170-8272
stain
stain
Blue Tray
Catalog
#170-8273
SYBR® Green Stain-free gels
SYBR® Safe Stain-free blots
Stain-Free Tray
Catalog
#170-8274
16 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications
Hardware Specifications
Image area 15 x 11.2 cm
Excitation source Trans UV B (302 nm peak)
Detector Charge-coupled device
Image pixel size 107.8 x 107.8 m (in micr
Dynamic range 3.0 or
Pixel density 4,096 gray levels
Flat fielding Yes
Instrument size 43 x 28 x 38 cm
Instrument weight 7.3 kg
Connector descriptions USB-A connector is used for communication with a PC
ders of magnitude
USB-B connector is used for the instrument interface
Operating Ranges
Operating voltage 110/115/230/240 VAC Nominal
Operating temperature 10–28
Operating humidity < 70% noncondensing
C (21C recommended)
Equipment Ratings
Input voltage range 100–240 VAC
Input frequency range 50–60 Hz
Power 40 W
The Gel Doc EZ imager is for indoor laboratory use only.
Automation Capabilities
Workflow automated
execution
Workflow reproducibility 100% repeatability via recallable protocols, from gel activation
Autoexposure 2 user-defined modes (intense or faint bands)
Controlled by a protocol via setup for gel activation, image
capture, analysis, and reporting
and image capture to quantitative analysis and r
ons)
eports
User Guide | 1 7
1 | System Overview
Image Lab Software Capabilities
Image Lab software runs automated protocols on the Gel Doc EZ system for routine
gel imaging documentation and analysis.
Gel Documentation
Gel electrophoresis is a common way to separate, identify, and purify proteins or
nucleic acids. The Gel Doc EZ system enables you to image and print gel images for
documentation in laboratory notebooks or to export images for publication or
presentation.
Molecular Weight Assessment
Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and
agarose gel electrophoresis are used to separate proteins or nucleic acids
according to their size. Protein or nucleic acid molecular weight standards provide a
reference for estimating the molecular weight of the proteins or nucleic acids being
tested.
Quantification
The components in a sample (bands) are quantified to determine relative amounts of
each component in a sample or to compare the amount of a sample component
relative to a standard. Assessing the purity of a sample requires the quantification of
all components of a sample relative to each other. The results are expressed either
as a percentage of all bands identified (band%) or as a percentage of all signals in
the sample lane (lane%). Determining expression levels of a protein or nucleic acid
requires quantification among samples. Data can be reported as either relative
values, if the quantity is unknown, or as an absolute value, if a standard of known
quantity is present.
18 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
2 Setting Up the Instrument
with Image Lab Software
System Requirements
Image Lab™ software runs on Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft
Windows 7, and Mac OS X. Images scanned at high resolution can be quite large.
The amount of memory r
the images you scan and analyze.
For this reason, we recommend that you archive images on a network file server or
on r
emovable storage media. Bio-Rad can also provide an appropriate computer to
use with this system. Contact your local Bio-Rad representative for more details.
Image Lab Security Edition
Note: The system requirements for Image Lab Security Edition are the same as
those for the Standard Edition. The software must be installed on a computer
running the Windows XP Professional or Windows 7 operating system to take
advantage of the secure mode features.
Computer Specifications
equired for using the program is determined by the size of
Specifications Minimum Recommended
Operating system Windows XP SP3
Windows 7, 32- and 64-bit
Mac OS X 10.6
Processor Pentium 4 or equivalent (Windows)
at 2.0 GHz
Windows XP SP3 Professional
Windows 7 Professional, 64-bit
Mac OS X 10.6
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz or
higher
User Guide | 1 9
2 | Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software
Specifications Minimum Recommended
Hard disk space 20 GB >100 GB
Memory (RAM) 1,024 MB >1,024 MB
Ports for connecting
instrument
Other software
(optional)
1 free USB 2.0 port 1 free USB 2.0 port
Microsoft Excel 2003 or later
(Windows)
Office 2008 or iWork software
(Mac)
Microsoft Excel 2003 or later
(Windows)
Office 2008 or iWork software
(Mac)
Installing Image Lab Software
The process of installing Image Lab differs depending on your operating system.
This section explains how to install Image Lab software on a Windows PC and on a
Mac.
Note: During the Windows installation process, you are prompted to install
Image Lab Standar
mode, you must have Image Lab Administrator role privileges. Bio-Rad
recommends that you create the required groups and assign the Image Lab
roles to users within those groups before installing Image Lab software.
d Edition or Security Edition. In order to enable secure
See User Names, Groups, and Roles on page 168 for additional information about
the required Image Lab roles, groups, and users.
See Setting Up Users and Groups on page 183 for information about setting up
groups, user names, and passwords.
To install Image Lab on a Windows PC
1. Insert the Image Lab software CD in your CD-ROM drive.
20 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Installing Image Lab Software
The Image Lab installer automatically launches.
2. On the Welcome screen, click Next.
3. Accept the license agreement and click Next.
4. On the Edition Selection screen, choose the edition to install.
User Guide | 2 1
2 | Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software
Note the following.
If you are licensed to install the Security Edition but choose to install the
Standard Edition, you will need to uninstall the Standard Edition and install
the Security Edition before you can use it.
If you are licensed to install the Security Edition and choose to install it,
only a user assigned the Image Lab Administrator role (or group) privileges
can enable and disable secure mode.
Note: A user assigned the Image Lab Administrator role will not
necessarily also be the network or IT administrator
assigned the correct role within Image Lab to enable or disable secure
mode.
For more information, see Setting Up Image Lab Security Edition on
page 38.
If you are not licensed to install the Security Edition but choose to install it,
you will be prompted for a license key when you start Image Lab.
5. Click Next.
. You must be
22 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Installing Image Lab Software
6. A screen appears requesting your license code.
Note: Your 18-digit license code can be found in the Image Lab product
folder pocket.
Enter the 18–digit code in the three text boxes. The software verifies the code.
Tip: If you do not know or do not have access to the code, contact your
Bio-Rad customer service repr
esentative.
Note: Until you provide a license code, Image Lab will function only in
standar
Click Next.
7.
8.
On the Install Location scr
d mode.
een, accept the default location or click Change and
browse to another folder.
9. Click Next.
User Guide | 2 3
2 | Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software
10. On the Ready to Install the Program screen, click Install.
The wizard installs Image Lab.
24 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Installing Image Lab Software
11. When the installation is complete, you are prompted to display the Release
Notes and/or the Windows Installer log.
The following screen shot is an example of the Windows Installer log.
12. Select or clear the checkboxes in the Install Wizard Completed dialog.
13. Click Finish to exit the wizard.
User Guide | 2 5
2 | Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software
The Image Lab icon appears on your desktop. Follow the instructions in the next
section to connect your system.
To install Image Lab on a Mac
1. Insert the Image Lab software CD in your CD-ROM drive.
2. Double-click the CD icon on your desktop to see the folder contents.
3. Double-click the file Image Lab.dmg.
4. Drag the Image Lab application icon into the Applications folder.
Follow the instructions in Connecting the Imager to the Computer to connect your
system.
Connecting the Imager to the Computer
1. Install or upgrade Image Lab before connecting the Gel Doc™ EZ imager to the
computer.
2. Connect the imager to the Image Lab computer using the USB cable provided
with the system.
3. Connect the Gel Doc EZ imager to AC power using the power cord provided.
AC
Rear of imager
Power
cord
USB cable
26 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
Computer
Installing the Drivers on a Windows XP Computer
4. Press the power switch on the side of the imager to turn on power to the
instrument.
Power
switch
Installing the Drivers on a Windows XP Computer
After the instrument is connected and the power is turned on, the PC automatically
recognizes the instrument, and the hardware installation wizard starts, prompting
you to install the drivers.
User Guide | 2 7
2 | Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software
The initial Welcome dialog box appears.
Installing the drivers on a Windows XP computer
1. On the Welcome dialog box, click No, not this time, and then click Next.
The dialog box listing the driver that will be installed appears
2. By default, the radio button for Install the software automatically
(Recommended) is selected.
28 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
.
Installing the Drivers on a Windows XP Computer
Keep the default selection and click Next.
The following warning dialog box appears.
3. Click Continue Anyway.
Windows installs the driver.
When the installation is complete, the following dialog box appears
.
4. Click Finish.
User Guide | 2 9
2 | Setting Up the Instrument with Image Lab Software
A message appears briefly: Your new hardware is ready to use.
Note: Windows XP might prompt you to go through the driver installation a
second time. If this happens, repeat this section until you r
“Your new hardware is ready to use.”
eceive the message
Installing the Drivers on a Windows 7 Computer
If you are running Windows 7, the device driver is installed during the Image Lab
installation process. After successful installation, you see a message similar to the
following.
Note: During the installation process you might see a warning similar to the
following. You can ignore this warning because it appears even when the driver
has been installed correctly.
30 | Gel Doc EZ Imaging System with Image Lab Software
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