Molecular Devices ImageXpress Micro User Manual

ImageXpress® Micro
High Content Imaging System
Options
User Guide
5014166 D
September 2015
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Contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Who this User Guide is For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Obtaining Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 1: Environment Control Option
Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Environment Control Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Items Included in the Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Items to Be Provided by the Customer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Setting Up Environmental Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Setting the Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Setting Up the Water Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Setting Up the Carbon Dioxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Loading the Sample Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Environment Control Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Environmental Parameters in Image Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Performing Timelapse Experiments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Reviewing Timelapse Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 2: Fluidics Option Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Fluidics Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Items to Be Provided by the Customer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Setting Up Fluidics Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Configuring Fluidics Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Manual Fluidics Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Performing Fluidics Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Preventing Evaporation from Compound Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Evaluated Seals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
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Chapter 3: Environment Control and Fluidics
Options Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Carbon Dioxide Tubing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Cleaning the Water Reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Waste Disposal Box and Plate Sealing Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Chapter 4: Transmitted Light Option Operations . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Transmitted Light Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Transmitted Light Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Transmitted Light Phase Ring Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Transmitted Light Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
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Preface

Who this User Guide is For

This user guide is written for those who want to use an ImageXpress® Micro High Content Imaging System with any of the following optional components:
ImageXpress Environment Control option
ImageXpress Fluidics option
ImageXpress Transmitted Light option
The ImageXpress Environment Control option, ImageXpress Fluidics option, and ImageXpress Transmitted Light option described in this guide are available for only the ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System.

Conventions

In this user guide, the following typographical conventions are used.
WARNING! A warning indicates an operation that can cause personal injury if precautions are not followed.
CAUTION! Indicates an operation that can cause damage to the
instrument, device, or data, if the precautions are not followed.
Note: Provides essential information for the completion of a procedure.
Tip: Provides useful information that helps apply the techniques and procedures in the text to your specific needs, and can also provide shortcuts. The information in a tip is not essential to the completion of a procedure.
.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide

MetaXpress Software

Use the MetaXpress® Software with the ImageXpress Micro System to select a standard image analysis routine or to develop a custom protocol to fit your specific acquisition and analysis needs. The MetaXpress Software workflow is divided into two major parts: acquisition and analysis.
The acquisition workflow involves configuring settings, acquiring
images, and storing plate data in a database.
The analysis workflow consists of processing, enhancing, and
analyzing acquired plate data. See the MetaXpress High Content Image Acquisition & Analysis Software Analysis Guide included on the MetaXpress Software installation USB flash drive.

Simplified Menu Structure

An optional simplified menu structure can be installed to reduce the number of top-level menus in the MetaXpress Software. All the features of the software are available in this reorganized menu structure.
The procedures in this guide describe both the default menu structure and the simplified menu structure.
You can use the Menu Map in the Help menu to help you find the locations of features in the simplified menu structure. The Menu Map is available only after the simplified menu installation.
1. Click Help > Menu Map.
2. In the Menu Map dialog, select to view the Default to customized menu map.
3. Click the menu path where the software feature you want is
found in the default menu structure. The simplified menu path appears to the right of the desired
feature in the menu.
4. Click the menu path in the software window to access the desired feature.
For example, if you want to make a duplicate of an image, then use the following procedure:
1. Click Help > Menu Map.
2. In the Menu Map dialog, select to view the Default to customized menu map.
3. Click Edit > Duplicate.
The simplified menu path -> Edit: Image: Duplicate Image/Plane appears to the right of the Image option in the submenu.
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Obtaining Support

Molecular Devices is a leading worldwide manufacturer and distributor of analytical instrumentation, software, and reagents. We are committed to the quality of our products and to fully supporting our customers with the highest possible level of technical service.
Our support web site, link to the Knowledge Base with technical notes, software upgrades, safety data sheets, and other resources. If you do not find the answers you are seeking, follow the links to the Technical Support Service Request Form to send an email message to a pool of technical support representatives.
You can contact your local representative or contact Molecular Devices Technical Support by telephone at 800-635-5577 (U.S. only) or +1 408-747-1700. In Europe call +44 (0) 118 944 8000.
Part of effective communication with Molecular Devices is determining the channels of support for the ImageXpress Micro System, including the MetaXpress Software. Molecular Devices provides a wide range of support:
Preface
4. In the software window, click Edit > Image > Duplicate
Image/Plane.
http://www.moleculardevices.com/support, has a
Documentation: Check the guides that are included on the
installation media and the help that is available within the MetaXpress Software. Help for an active dialog can be accessed by pressing F1 on your keyboard.
Online knowledge base: The knowledge base has links to
technical notes, software upgrades, newsletters, user guides, and other resources. Visit the Molecular Devices Support web page at http://www.moleculardevices.com/support and follow the links to the knowledge base.
MetaMorph Software forum: This forum has information on
journal scripts and custom modules, and has links to videos and webinars that can help you troubleshoot problems and be more productive using the software. Visit the forum at
metamorph.moleculardevices.com/forum.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide
Technical Support:
Phone: Contact Technical Support at (800)-635-5577 (U.S. only) or +1 408-747-1700. In Europe call +44 (0) 118 944 8000.
Online: Visit
http://www.moleculardevices.com/support and
follow the links in the knowledge base to the Technical Support Request Form to send an email to a group of experienced Technical Support representatives.
Please have the system ID number, system serial number, software version number, and the name of the system owner available when you call.
To find your system ID number, in the MetaXpress Software,
click Help > About MetaXpress. The About dialog displays your system ID number.
The system serial number is located on your instrument.
Additional support resources include:
Nikon web-based microscopy course:
http://www.microscopyu.com
The Molecular Probes Handbook:
http://www.lifetechnologies.com/us/en/home/references/ molecular-probes-the-handbook.html
This resource offers advice on fluorescent probes and can help you determine if there are better stains available for your analysis.
The following sites offer filter information:
- http://www.chroma.com
- http://www.semrock.com
- http://www.omegafilters.com
8 5014166 D

Environment Control Option Operations

The ImageXpress® Environment Control option is designed to maintain an environment for living cells to enable multi-day live-cell timelapse imaging. Temperature, carbon dioxide, and humidity can all be maintained within the sample plate so that cells can be kept alive for many days, growing at a rate comparable to that expected in a standard cell culture incubator. In addition to offering kinetic and timelapse imaging capabilities, the environmental enclosure can accommodate a single-channel fluidics robot for delivering compounds during experimentation.
The ImageXpress Environment Control option can be installed together with either the Fluidics option or the Transmitted Light option.
See also:
Fluidics Option Operations on page 31
Transmitted Light Option Operations on page 55
This chapter contains the following sections:
Environment Control Hardware on page 10
Setting Up Environmental Control on page 14
Environment Control Software on page 21
Doing Timelapse Experiments on page 23
1
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide

Environment Control Hardware

The ImageXpress Environment Control option consists of a sealing ring on top of the sample plate and a top door above the plate that together forms a small, sealed volume. Humidified carbon dioxide is sourced into this small volume to form the required environment above the plate. Temperature is controlled within the upper half of the instrument.
The ImageXpress Environment Control option consists of the following hardware subsystems:
Temperature control within the upper half of the base
instrument. Warm air is provided from the Environmental Control Option Controller or the Systems Power & Options Controller through an air hose. Feedback from temperature sensors installed near the plate maintains the temperature. The temperature can be controlled within a range of 30°C to 40°C, when the ambient room temperature is 22°C or lower.
Carbon dioxide is provided from a customer-supplied tank of
pre-mixed 5% CO2 and 95% air. The tank regulator must be set between 15 PSI and 20 PSI. The Environmental Control Option Controller or the Systems Power & Options Controller controls the flow to the space above the plate, maintained by the live-cell sealing ring. If a plate is ejected and loaded, the system conducts a purge cycle automatically.
Humidity is passively provided by bubbling the carbon dioxide
through a water reservoir, minimizing evaporation from the sample plate over the duration of a timelapse experiment.

Items Included in the Installation

The following hardware components are included in an ImageXpress Environment Control option installation:
ImageXpress Micro Environmental Control Option Controller or
the ImageXpress Micro Systems Power & Options Controller. See Figure 1-1 on page 11 and Figure 1-2 on page 11.
Warm air hose and carbon dioxide tubing. See Figure 1-3 on
page 12 and Figure 1-4 on page 12.
Temperature sensors. To ensure accurate readings, the sensors
are located near the sample plate.
Water reservoir. See Figure 1-5 on page 13.
Live-cell sealing ring. Compatible with 96-well and 384-well
standard height plates. The standard height for these plates is
14.35 mm ± 0.25 mm (0.5650 inches ± 0.0098 inches). See
Figure 1-6 on page 13.
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Environment Control Option Operations
Figure 1-1: Environmental Control Option Controller used for the ImageXpress Micro Standard and XLS Systems
Figure 1-2: Systems Power & Options Controller used for the ImageXpress Micro Confocal System
Note: The Compound Plate Temperature setting is available only when the Fluidics option is also installed.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide
Figure 1-3: Environment Control option warm air hose and carbon dioxide tubing on the back of the Environmental Control Option Controller
Figure 1-4: Environment Control option warm air hose and carbon dioxide tubing on the back of the ImageXpress Micro Standard System
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Environment Control Option Operations
Figure 1-5: Environment Control option water reservoir
Figure 1-6: Environment Control option live-cell sealing ring
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide

Items to Be Provided by the Customer

The customer must provide the following items for the Environment Control option installation:
A tank of pre-mixed 5% CO2 and 95% air.
The regulator, fittings, and tubing required to deliver 15 to 20 PSI
carbon dioxide from the tank to the Environmental Control Option Controller or the Systems Power & Options Controller.
Microwell plates with standard ANSI height. Most 96-well and
384-well plates are standard height. The standard height for these plates is: 14.35 mm ± 0.25 mm (0.5650 inches ± 0.0098 inches).
Deionized water to maintain humidity.

Setting Up Environmental Control

An FSE (Field Service Engineer) installs the ImageXpress Environment Control option. After installation, environmental control can be set up for experiments.

Setting the Temperature

The temperature controller is calibrated before the instrument ships from the factory. Use the external temperature controller to set the temperature that you want the environmental enclosure to maintain.
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Environment Control Option Operations
To set the temperature
1. On the front of the Environmental Control Option Controller or
the Systems Power & Options Controller, view the current sample plate temperature.
Figure 1-7: Sample Plate Temperature control interface
2. To view the temperature set point, press .
3. To increase the temperature set point, press and .
4. To decrease the temperature set point, press and .
After you release , the current temperature in the chamber is displayed.
Note: For the ImageXpress Micro Confocal System, you can set the temperature with the Instrument power switch in the On position. To regulate the temperature in the chamber, the Sample Heater power switch must be also in the On position.

Setting Up the Water Reservoir

Air supplied to the environmental enclosure flows through the water reservoir to make sure the air has a high degree of humidity.
Tools required for setup:
SyringeDeionized Water (preferably sterilized)
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide
To set up the water reservoir
1. In the MetaXpress software, click Screening > Plate acquisition and Control > Eject Plate to open the top door of the instrument.
2. Remove the insert that surrounds the top door.
3. Disconnect the CO
the instrument.
4. Insert a syringe filled with deionized water into the luer lock.
5. View the water reservoir through the open top panel.
/air tubing from the luer lock on the rear of
2
Figure 1-8: Environment Control option water reservoir
6. Dispense the deionized water from the syringe into the water
reservoir until the water reaches the fill line.
7. Remove the syringe from the luer lock.
8. Reconnect the CO
/air tubing to the luer lock.
2
9. Replace the insert that surrounds the top door.
10. In the MetaXpress software, click Screening > Plate acquisition and Control > Load Plate to close the top door of the instrument.
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Environment Control Option Operations

Setting Up the Carbon Dioxide

A pre-mixed CO2 tank with a regulator must be set up and connected to the carbon dioxide controller. The carbon dioxide controller then controls the flow rate of carbon dioxide delivered to the water reservoir within the environmental enclosure.
Before you begin, make sure the water reservoir is set up. See
the Water Reservoir on page 15.
To set up the carbon dioxide
1. Connect the tubing from the pre-mixed CO2 tank to the
Environmental Control Option Controller or the Systems Power & Options Controller.
2. Verify that the tubing from the Environmental Control Option
Controller or the Systems Power & Options Controller to the instrument is connected.
3. Connect the regulator to the CO
4. Turn on the CO
regulator to approximately 15 PSI to 20 PSI.
2
5. From the top of the ImageXpress Micro System, lift the insert
surrounding the top door and remove it. Keep the top door of the instrument closed.
6. Verify that there is a steady flow of bubbles in the water
reservoir.
7. Replace the insert surrounding the top door.
8. Check the environmental control settings to verify that the CO
pressure is OK. See Environment Control Software on page 21.
tank.
2
Setting Up
2
After setting up the carbon dioxide
Load an unlidded plate with the live-cell sealing ring on top. If there are concerns about contamination, a breathable seal can be used over the top of the plate. See Loading the Sample Plate on page 18.
Note: Before you do imaging experiments, wait for the system and plate to reach equilibrium. Allow at least two hours for the system and 30 minutes for the plate. Because focus settings and offsets change with temperature, you might need to optimize them after the system and plate have reached equilibrium.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide

Loading the Sample Plate

You must use the live-cell sealing ring to maintain the CO2 flow to the sample plate. The sealing ring helps to contain the inputted air directly over the cells and maintains the proper CO2 and temperature levels.
WARNING! BIOHAZARD! Wear gloves when handling sample plates.
Note: To ensure that it is at the proper temperature, before you load
the sample plate, make sure that the live cell sealing ring is in the system or in the incubator.
To load the sample plate
1. In the MetaXpress software, click Screening > Plate acquisition and Control > Eject Plate to open the top door of the instrument.
2. Insert the sample plate into the stage and then remove the lid
from the plate. If there are concerns about contamination, a breathable seal can be used over the top of the plate.
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Environment Control Option Operations
3. Place the live-cell sealing ring directly on top of the plate, making
sure that it fits securely onto the plate.
Figure 1-9: Environment Control option live-cell sealing ring
4. In the MetaXpress software, click Screening > Plate acquisition
and Control > Load Plate to close the top door of the instrument.
Note: Temperature fluctuations in the plate and its
surroundings cause the plate and its cells to shift in X,Y, and Z direction. To minimize these temperature fluctuations, take the following precautions.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide
Before you run an experiment:
Allow the instrument to warm up for at least two hours.
Make sure the plate sealing ring is at 37°C before use, either by
keeping it inside the instrument or inside an incubator. Incorrect sealing-ring temperature can cause temperature fluctuation.
Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour for the plate to reach equilibrium. You
can use a journal to set this waiting period. The current temperature in the chamber is displayed on the
front of the controller.
If there is interstitial space between wells, pipette deionized
water or media into these areas. This helps to increase the thermal mass of the plate and reduces overall evaporation.
1.
Note: Due to the changes in Z height over time, you might need to adjust the plate focus parameters in the MetaXpress software occasionally. To do so, open the MetaXpress software, and then click Screening > Plate Acquisition Setup > Plate tab > Edit Plate Bottom Settings. Increase the adjacent well max variation to accommodate the added Z-height variation introduced by the fluctuation of temperature.
When setting laser autofocus options, make sure that the instrument and plate temperatures are at equilibrium. Room­temperature laser autofocus settings are not ideal when the system is used at higher temperatures.
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Environment Control Software

The MetaXpress software controls the ImageXpress Micro System screening and monitors the system’s environmental parameters. You can check Environment Control settings and connections in the MetaXpress software.

To check the Environment Control settings

1. In the MetaXpress software, click Devices > Environment
Control. In the simplified menu, click Control > ImageXpress >
Environment Control.
In the Environment Control dialog, the Current Temperature and the Temperature Setpoint values are displayed.
Temperature is recorded in degrees Centigrade.Carbon dioxide pressure is recorded as Low or OK.
Environment Control Option Operations
Figure 1-10: Environment Control dialog
When the top door of the ImageXpress instrument is opened, the MetaXpress Software triggers the environment control to increase the flow rate of the carbon dioxide in order to flood the chamber with humidified and carbon dioxide-controlled air. When a plate is loaded, the system transiently purges the carbon dioxide at a higher flow rate.
However, the MetaXpress Software does not control the parameters, such as the level of CO
or temperature. These parameters are controlled
2
directly through their hardware devices, such as the temperature controller on the Environmental Control Option Controller or the Systems Power & Options Controller (Figure 1-1 on page 11 and
Figure 1-2 on page 11) and the regulator on the carbon dioxide tank.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide

Environmental Parameters in Image Information

The MetaXpress Software records environmental information when images are captured as shown in Figure 1-11 on page 22.
Note: There are wire sensors in the system to detect water, but the software does not record this as an image annotation.
Figure 1-11: Image information annotation with environmental parameters
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Doing Timelapse Experiments

The ImageXpress Environment Control option incubates live cells, enabling imaging experiments to be performed over hours or days. Wells can be imaged repeatedly at fixed time intervals, and movies can be constructed from a series of images.
Note: In a timelapse experiment, the time starts when the first well is acquired. If the acquisition time exceeds the time specified for the timelapse experiment, the system proceeds as fast as possible. As a result, the time between time points might not match the time specified, but timestamps on images are accurate.

To Set Up a Timelapse Experiment

1. In the MetaXpress software, click Screening > Plate Acquisition
Setup.
2. In the Plate Acquisition Setup dialog, in the Configure tab, open
the Acquisition tab. See
Environment Control Option Operations
Figure 1-12.
p
Figure 1-12: Acquire Time Series
3. Select Acquire Time Series.
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ImageXpress Micro High Content Imaging System Options User Guide
4. Under Configure, click Timelapse to configure timelapse acquisition options. See Figure 1-13 on page 24.
Figure 1-13: Timelapse tab
5. In the Number of time points field, specify the number of time
points to use. Fluidic events can be associated with these time points. See
Doing Fluidics Experiments on page 43.
6. Click Perform time series for and select one of the following methods for acquiring a series of timelapse images, corresponding to different types of experiments:
All selected wells is used for long timelapse experiments.
The system images all wells at the first time-point, then all wells at the second time point, and so on.
One well then the next is used for a fast kinetic experiment.
The system images all time points on well 1, then moves to well 2 and images all time points, and so on.
One row then the next or one column then the next is
suitable for an experiment using manual pipetting.
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