ibidi : Heating System Multiwell Plate – Silver Line

A heating system for high-throughput live cell imaging with stable and homogenous temperature during high resolution microscopy

Easy installation on inverted microscopes that have a K-frame fitting (160 mm x 110 mm)
Includes an Incubation Chamber for multiwell plates, ideal for high-throughput live cell imaging using motorized stages
For long-term physiologic conditions on the microscope with precisely controlled temperature, humidity, CO₂, and O₂, ibidi offers Stage Top Incubators, which combine the ibidi Heating System and the ibidi Gas Incubation System

System includes:

ibidi Temperature Controller – Silver Line
Incubation Chamber Multiwell Plate – Silver Line

Applications

The ibidi Heating System is ideal for live cell imaging experiments that require physiologic conditions on the microscope.

Combined with the ibidi Gas Incubation System, it serves as a complete Stage Top Incubator, precisely controlling essential parameters such as temperature, humidity, and CO₂/O₂ levels on the microscope to get reproducible results of, for example:

The ibidi Heating System is optimized for high-resolution imaging applications that require extra focus stability, for example:

Specifications

Temperature Controller – Silver Line
Dimensions	90 x 170 x 230 mm³
Weight	1.75 kg / 3.86 lbs
External power supply	AC 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz, 2 A

Incubation Chamber Multiwell Plate – Silver Line
Temperature control range	5 degrees higher than ambient temperature (min.18°C) to 45°C
Temperature stability	+/- 0.2°C
Temperature uniformity	+/- 2°C
Dimensions	160 x 130 x 30 mm³ (fits 160 x 110 mm2 K-frames)
Fitting cell culture vessels	Multiwell plates with an ANSI/SLAS (SBS) standard format including the ibidi µ-Plates (85.5 x 127.5 mm²)
Weight	430 g / 0.95 lbs
Gas inlet	Female Luer connector with Luer lock
Working distance condenser	≥ 26 mm
Working distance objective lens	> 1 mm for multiwell plates with a 180 µm coverslip bottom (e.g., µ-Plate 96 Well Black)
	> 2 mm for multiwell plates with a thick bottom

Technical Features

Easy installation on inverted microscopes that have a 160 mm x 110 mm K-frame
Highest focus stability during microscopy due to heat regulation by continuous current (minimum temperature/z-position fluctuations)
Fits multiwell plates with an ANSI/SLAS (SBS) standard format (85.5 x 127.5 mm²) including the ibidi µ-Plates
Brilliant images without disturbing condensation on the lid due to optimal heat distribution across the Heated Lid
Suitable for oil immersion microscopy when used with the Objective Heater Universal – Silver Line (not included)
Suitable for DIC microscopy and TIRF
Can be combined with the ibidi Gas Incubation System to create a complete Stage Top Incubator for long-term physiologic conditions on the microscope with controlled temperature, humidity, CO₂, and O₂
Humidity sensor is integrated into the Heated Lid and close to the sample
Reduced number of cables for easy handling
Includes IncuControl software for instrument control and data recording via a notebook
Includes external temperature sensor (e.g., for measuring the sample temperature during calibration of the system)

Compatibility to Microscopes

	K-Frame Stages (160 mm x 110 mm)
Nikon	Ti-S-E and Ti-S-ER Stages with ibidi Stage Adapter
ASI	MS 2000 Series PZ 2000 Series
ITK	LMT Series
Leica	K-Frame Opening (160 mm x 110 mm)
LUDL	BioPrecision 2 Inverted Biopoint 2 Inverted
Märzhäuser	SCAN IM Series (except SCAN IM 50 x 50)
Olympus	K-Frame Opening (160 mm x 110 mm)
PI (Physik Instrumente)	U-780 PILine M-687.XX (from 2012 on)
PRIOR	H117
Zeiss	Scanning Stage 130 x 85 mot. P K-Frame Opening (160 mm x 110 mm)

The Principle of the ibidi Heating System – Silver Line

Cells react sensitively to changes in their environment. Factors such as temperature, humidity/evaporation, and CO₂/O₂ levels significantly influence the outcome of cell culture assays. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain optimal conditions during live cell imaging experiments on the microscope stage to achieve biologically relevant and reproducible results.

The ibidi Heating System creates stable and homogenous temperatures for high-resolution live cell microscopy. It fits into inverted microscope stages with a universal mounting frame for multiwell plates. It consists of the ibidi Temperature Controller and the ibidi Incubation Chamber (Heated Lid and Heated Plate). When placed in the ibidi Incubation Chamber, the microscopy slides are kept at a stable, defined temperature during the live cell imaging experiment on the microscope.

For full control of the incubation environment, ibidi offers Stage Top Incubators, which combine the ibidi Heating System and the ibidi Gas Incubation System, to regulate humidity, temperature, CO_2, and (optionally) O₂ concentrations.

I_107XX_stage_top_inc_live_cell_imaging.

Brilliant Images Without Condensation

The temperature of the Heated Lid of the ibidi Heating System – Silver Line is independently controlled and optimally distributed, thereby solving the frequently occurring problem of condensation during live cell imaging.

A vertical temperature gradient is created by heating the lid to a temperature higher than the plate (e.g., 40°C). This gradient and the active humidity control by the ibidi Gas Incubation System prevent condensation on the lid of the cell culture vessel, which is crucial for non-disturbed high-quality microscopy images. The Heated Plate maintains the sample temperature at a constant 37 °C.

Stable and Homogeneous Temperature

The ibidi Heating System Multiwell Plate – Silver Line, ensures a precisely controlled, stable temperature in the Incubation Chamber with homogeneous distribution across the wells of the cell culture vessel. The temperature is controlled via continuous current, which reliably prevents position fluctuations and makes the system optimal for high-resolution live cell microscopy with a stable focus.

Stable and consistent temperature distribution in the µ-Plate 96 Well Black during the incubation in the ibidi Heating System Multiwell Plate – Silver Line. Images were acquired with a FLIR thermal camera.

High Magnification and Immersion Oil Microscopy: Objective Heater Extension

The ibidi Heating System – Silver Line can be extended with the Objective Heater Universal – Silver Line. Microscope objectives that require close approximation to the sample (e.g., high magnification or high NA objectives) might cause cooling of the sample by thermal transfer from the sample to the objective, when the objective is not heated. This thermal transfer also occurs when using immersion oil. Adequate heating of the objective by the Objective Heater prevents cooling of the sample, enabling long-term high-resolution imaging of living cells.