CytoSMART Omni
Live-cell imaging
for high-throughput
experiments
CytoSMART Omni
Being able to monitor cell cultures over time provides a great insight into their physiology and function. Live-cell imaging microscopes open up novel and exciting avenues to study cellular health, viability, colony formation, migration, and cellular responses to external stimuli.
To help life science researchers improve their understanding of cellular processes, CytoSMART Technologies has developed an automated bright-field microscope that can visualize an entire surface of a cell culture vessel and operate from inside a standard CO2-incubator, biological safety cabinet or on a benchtop. Not limited to a specific type or quantity of culture vessels, the CytoSMART Omni captures cellular behavior by creating high-quality time-lapse videos for days or even weeks at a time.
Easy to handle, great results!
"The Omni allows to image cells over several days up to weeks and so learn a lot of new facts about their behavior. The microscope can be placed in an incubator and the medium can be changed in-between, without impairing imaging. Therefore no effects concerning the change of environmental conditions are observed. This is very important for our research on osteoblast differentiation, a process which can take up to five weeks. The microscope is very easy to handle and to control from outside the incubator. And you can always count on the people from CytoSMART for technical support."
Top-end technology that keeps on improving.
"Constant development of analysis software in cloud is excellent. Hardware improvements are immediately implemented into the device. Great support by the company."
Amazing for long-term imaging of whole wells and plates!
"Very easy product to use. Does require a bit of setup, but the company sends out a representative to help with this. Also, they ask what I want to use the device for and really tailor the experience. Love that it can be used inside an incubator as I had trouble with long-term imaging with on stage incubators for big microscopes. Also, don't need to worry about fluctuations in temperature and oxygen percentages and deal with oxygen tanks. The confluency data is very useful and produces graphs ready for you to use. Maybe have more options for well/plates to be able to scan."
Very good and recommended.
"The device was very easy to set up, run experiments in and the data it produces is reliable."
Useful tool that allows for fast progression.
"Compact and nicely-designed piece of equipment. Very straightforward to use in terms of hardware and software."
Great results, I recommend the CytoSmart Omni device to everyone working in cell culture.
"CytoSMART Omni device is the device to have in every lab! The software is very friendly, and the device is very easy to handle. You can get online images and can follow your cells at any time from everywhere. At PKDERM we use the Omni device in wound healing testing using the scratch test with Ibidi inserts. We got fantastic results and our partners and clients were very satisfied, especially when they can watch the movie about how the wound is recovered after applying their products!"
NEW - Automated whole-well imaging with higher spatial resolution
The CytoSMART Omni, fitted with the new digital 6.4 MP CMOS camera, can monitor cell cultures and study biological processes with enhanced spatial resolution, while also allowing cells to be kept in their desired culture environment. Higher quality images coupled with robust AI-based image analysis ensure that you will generate reliable and reproducible experimental data with minimal artifacts.
Continuous imaging provides real-time insight into cellular processes
Perform kinetic assays over the course of days or even weeks
Time-lapse imaging allows you to pinpoint important events in the progression of the cell culture from experiment to experiment. Uncover attachment and detachment rates, evaluate events like cell death and compare growth rates. Data collection using video monitoring allows users to capture changes within samples and compare the rate of change between samples. With the integrated Continue Experiment feature, it is now possible to perform multiple transient screens in parallel to an ongoing long-term kinetic assay by simply pausing the running experiment.
Complete overview of sample confluency
Achieved by automated full plate scanning and image stitching
Manual handling and cell seeding can cause a variable density distribution within culture vessels. Randomly selecting several areas of interest or tile scanning is common practice to overcome that issue, however this is either time-consuming to set-up or to post-process. The CytoSMART Omni automatically scans complete well surface areas and instantly stitches these images to give users a complete overview of cell coverage.
Compatibility with any transparent culture vessel
Imaging of full plates, flasks, dishes and microfluidic devices
Cell based assays and subculturing all benefit from standardization. Choosing the right vessel and going through the process of understanding how cells behave in said vessel is vital for reproducibility. The CytoSMART Omni is highly flexible and is compatible to any transparent vessel that is lower than 55 mm. All vessels with a surface area smaller than 99*131 mm can be imaged in full (6 – 384-well plates, T-25 – T225, Petri dishes, triple flasks, and HYPERFlasks).
Efficient screening of culture multiwell plates
The CytoSMART Omni can scan up to 6 vessels per hour
High-throughput experiments are not limited to a single culture vessel. The CytoSMART Omni can process multiple plates in quick succession, automatically stitching acquired images and safely storing data for each individual plate.
The CytoSMART Omni is ideal to perform kinetic assays to map cell proliferation, which we use as a tool to understand drug resistance in pancreatic cancer cell lines.
Dr. Martin Sprick | Senior Group Leader
Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine
- Incubator-friendly
- Label-free cellular assays
- Time-lapse videos
- Image stitching
- Cloud-based image analysis algorithms
Would you like to test if the CytoSMART Omni is beneficial for your laboratory?
Kinetic assays: cell proliferation, migration,
colony formation & more
Image analysis can be used to extract valuable information from time-lapse videos. Use our cell monitoring software to investigate and compare parameters like cell confluence, area infiltration (wound healing assays) and growth rate.
Perform analysis at desired culturing environment
The CytoSMART Omni is designed for your incubator
Live-cell imaging systems require environmental control during the experiment. To ensure the proper environmental conditions, users can place the compact CytoSMART Omni inside any standard cell culture incubator. The smooth curvatures of the CytoSMART Omni platform ensures minimal airflow disturbance. This ensures that your samples stay in their desired, homogeneous environment throughout the entire experiment. What's more, the versatile nature of the CytoSMART Omni allows it to be used directly at a bench or biological safety cabinet, ensuring the most optimal setting for conducting an imaging experiment.
Ensure sample stability while imaging
Produce bright-field images without moving your samples
Acquiring images can be highly disturbing to living cells. Environmental shock, like sudden changes in the atmosphere and mechanical disturbance can negatively influence cell viability. The CytoSMART Omni rapidly captures bright field images at cell-level detail without disturbing the cells. Users can set the desired imaging parameters using their own computer and the CytoSMART Omni will follow that scanning regime. There is no need to move a culture vessel on the sample stage, since the camera moves along the platform to capture the entire area of the vessel. Automated time-lapse imaging eliminates the need for any manual interference. Imaging using such a stable system prevents unwanted disturbances and reduces imaging artifacts.
Technical specifications
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 396 mm × 345 mm × 171 mm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 9 kg |
| Optics | Brightfield with digital phase contrast |
| Magnification | 10× fixed objective |
| Light source | LED |
| Camera | 6.4 MP CMOS |
| Scan area | 99 mm × 131 mm |
| Exported formats | JPG, XLSX & MP4 |
| Well plate types | 6 – 384 well plates |
| Culture flask types | Petri dishes, T25 – T225, triple flasks, and HYPERFlasks |
| Other labware | Anything transparent and lower than 55 mm |
| Operating environment | 5 – 40 °C, 20 – 95% humidity |
| Support | Via email and live chat |
| Research use only. Not intended for diagnostic purposes |
Videos
Downloads
Brochure CytoSMART Omni
Omni-brochure-v3-148x148mm-sprea ( PDF - 6 MB )
Case Study Fibroblast Scratch Assay Protocol Omni
Case-Study-Fibroblast-Scratch-Assay-Protocol-Omni ( PDF - 771 KB )
AP Pnote Omni Collective Cell Migration
APPnote-Omni-Collective-Cell-Migration ( PDF - 2 MB )
AP Pnote Cyto SMART Promo Cell Kinetic Analysis of in vitro wound closure by keratinocytes
APPnote-CytoSMART_PromoCell-Kinetic-Analysis-of-in-vitro-wound-closure-by-keratinocytes ( PDF - 2 MB )
Cyto SMART Omni Whitepaper Metabolic Activity Assay vs Confluence
CytoSMART-Omni-Whitepaper-Metabolic-Activity-Assay-vs-Confluence ( PDF - 353 KB )
Cell culture optimization - appnote
Using-Bright-Field-Video-Monitoring-Inside-Incubator-For-Cell-Culture-Optimization_200228_143933 ( PDF - 1 MB )
Cell proliferation - appnote
Real-Time-Monitoring-of-Cell-Growth ( PDF - 1 MB )
AP Pnote The effect of Blebbistatin and Cytochalasin D
APPnote-The-effect-of-Blebbistatin-and-Cytochalasin-D ( PDF - 628 KB )
Cell viability comparing metabolism assays to kinetic bright field microscopy analysis
Cell-viability-comparing-metabolism-assays-to-kinetic-bright-field-microscopy-analysis ( PDF - 2 MB )
Cytotoxicity assay evaluating drug toxicity using label free microscopy
Cytotoxicity-assay-evaluating-drug-toxicity-using-label-free-microscopy ( PDF - 2 MB )
Live Cell Imaging and Quantitative Analysis of Wound Healing Assays
Live-Cell-Imaging-and-Quantitative-Analysis-of-Wound-Healing-Assays ( PDF - 2 MB )
HYPER Flask cell culture monitoring using the Cyto SMART Omni
HYPERFlask-cell-culture-monitoring-using-the-CytoSMART-Omni ( PDF - 2 MB )
Cyto SMART Omni label free assays colony formation
CytoSMART_Omni-label-free_assays-colony-formation ( PDF - 2 MB )
Cyto SMART Omni wound healing assay
CytoSMART_Omni-wound_healing_assay ( PDF - 1 MB )
Frequently Asked Questions
The CytoSMART Omni is an inverted brightfield microscope that uses digital phase contrast imaging to visualize live cells without the addition of fluorescent or colorimetric dyes. Samples are illuminated using a LED and recorded with a moving camera that is positioned below the sample stage. The camera scans the sample stage and acquires a series of sequential images. One complete scan takes approximately 6 minutes, generating around 6500 snapshots. These are stitched to form an image with a surface area of 99 mm × 131 mm. The images are then uploaded to the CytoSMART™ Cloud, where they can be analyzed using our image analysis algorithms.
You can specify the interval rate between 1 - 24 hours or choose to perform a single scan.
The magnification is equivalent to a 10x objective of a standard brightfield microscope.
Confluence, scratch analysis, and colony detection are currently a part of the image analysis software package. Users always have the option to download the raw image data and perform their own analysis.
Yes, the CytoSMART Omni is designed to be used inside a cell culture incubator. Its hardware and electronics can operate at 5 - 40 °C and between 20 - 95% humidity.
No, our image analysis algorithms are optimized to be used in label-free assays, so you don’t have to add any dyes to your culture, providing a non-invasive analysis of your cells.
Yes, the device can only be used with a desktop or laptop running on Windows 10 or above, with a USB 3.0 port (which can also be purchased at CytoSMART™). A WiFi or wired Ethernet connection is necessary to be able to connect to the CytoSMART™ Cloud for data storage and analysis.
Any culture vessel that is lower than 55 mm (height of the light arc) can be scanned. Some examples include 6 - 384-well plates, petri dishes, T25 - T225, triple flasks, and HYPERFlasks. However, the size of the scan area is limited to 99 mm × 131 mm, which fits a complete T175 flask.
Yes, after sterilizing with ethanol (70%) or isopropyl alcohol (IPA), the device can be used in a cleanroom. Do not use acetone to clean the device, also the device cannot be autoclaved.