Spark^® 10M multimode microplate reader by Tecan

The Spark 10M multimode microplate reader is an all-new platform developed specifically to streamline laboratory workflows by offering walkaway processing for:

• cell counting
• live-cell imaging and confluence assessment in wells
• cell incubation
• reagent dispensing
• improved temperature control with the Te-Cool™ cooling module
• fluorescence
• fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)
• time-resolved fluorescence (TRF)
• fluorescence polarization (FP)
• absorbance
• DNA/protein quantification
• luminescence (flash and glow)
• luminescence scanning
• multicolor luminescence  

At the heart of the Spark 10M are Tecan’s unique Fusion Optics, which offer users the choice of filter- or Quad4 Monochromators™-based measurements – or even a combination of both – at the touch of a button. By allowing users to independently choose between filters and monochromators for both excitation and emission, this cutting-edge system means that laboratories no longer have to make a trade-off between flexibility and sensitivity. This is complemented by patent-pending High Speed Monochromators which allow complete absorbance scans – from 200 to 1,000 nm – in under five seconds. This option combines the speed of a diode array with the precision and flexibility of a monochromator, offering wide-ranging and detailed spectra with unsurpassed wavelength accuracy for rapid DNA and protein quantification.

The Spark 10M reader has been developed from the outset with cell-based assays in mind, and includes a host of software and hardware features – including a built-in cell counter – designed to simplify cell biology protocols. Precise regulation of environmental conditions is crucial to any cell-based assay, and the system’s fully integrated Gas Control Module (GCM™) offers simultaneous control of CO2 and O2 concentrations within the measurement chamber. Combined with precise temperature regulation and plate shaking options, this provides predictable culture growth under physiological, hypoxic or anaerobic conditions, allowing long-term, walkaway studies. Productivity and reproducibility are further improved by the addition of a patented- humidity cassette to provide evaporation protection for any SLAS-format microplate, and automated lid handling to precisely balance gas exchange and minimize the risk of contamination for any measurement mode.

For even greater efficiency, the Spark 10M features a bright-field cell counting module for automated, label-free cell counting and analysis. This innovative system offers accurate, reproducible cell counting and trypan blue-based cell viability analysis using disposable Cell Chip™ devices. To maximize sensitivity, even for low cell concentrations, the system allows flexible area selection and automated replicate processing, providing simple mean-value calculations, greater accuracy and more precise data. It is also now possible to automatically measure cell confluence and image cells in the well of a microplate. This allows the system to automatically inject a compound or measure a GFP signal once a user-defined cell confluence is reached, providing more reliable results.

A stable temperature is a prerequisite for getting reliable results. Whether you read enzymatic reactions – such as luciferase assays – run temperature-dependent Alpha® technology assays, or study kinetic assays of living organisms, you need precise, controllable cooling. The Te-Cool cooling module lets you keep your assay stable at a specific temperature for long periods. All these measurement modes and options – along with an injector module with unique stirring and heating capabilities for rapid kinetic assays – are fully integrated and supported by the Spark 10M’s user-oriented SparkControl™ software. Accessed via a PC or the instrument’s intuitive touchscreen interface, SparkControl makes it easier than ever before to set up and run even complex assay protocols, with one-click operation and remote control for even greater efficiency and productivity.