Construction a CO2 Incubator for Cell Culture with Capability of Transmitting Microwave Radiation

Mansour Tayebi-Khorami; Nahid Chegeni; Maryam Tahmasebi Birgani; Amir Danyaei; Reza Fardid; Jaber Zafari

doi:10.4103/jmss.jmss_113_21

Construction a CO2 Incubator for Cell Culture with Capability of Transmitting Microwave Radiation

J Med Signals Sens. 2022 May 12;12(2):127-132. doi: 10.4103/jmss.jmss_113_21. eCollection 2022 Apr-Jun.

Authors

Mansour Tayebi-Khorami¹, Nahid Chegeni¹, Maryam Tahmasebi Birgani², Amir Danyaei¹, Reza Fardid³, Jaber Zafari⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Physics, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
² Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
³ Department of Radiology, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
⁴ Laser Application in Medical Science Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to design and construct a CO2 incubator with nonmetallic walls and to investigate the viability of the cells and microwave irradiance inside this incubator.

Methods: Because the walls of conventional incubators are made of metal, this causes scattering, reflection, and absorption of electromagnetic waves. We decided to build a nonmetallic wall incubator to examine cells under microwave radiation. Incubator walls were made using polyvinyl chloride and Plexiglas and then temperature, CO2 pressure, and humidity sensors were placed in it. Atmel® ATmega1284, a low-power CMOS 8-bit microcontroller, collects and analyzes the sensor information, and if the values are less or more than the specified limits, the command to cut off or connect the electric current to the heater or CO2 solenoid valve is sent. Using a fan inside the incubator chamber, temperature and CO2 are uniforms. The temperature of the points where the cell culture plates are placed was measured, and the temperature difference was compared. Ovarian cancer cells (A2780) were cultured in the hand-made and commercial incubators at different times, and cell viability was compared by the MTT method. Microwave radiation in the incubator was also investigated using a spectrum analyzer. The survival of cells after microwave irradiation in the incubator was measured and compared with control cells.

Results: The data showed that there was no significant difference in temperature of different points in hand-made incubator and also there was no significant difference between the viability of cells cultured in the hand-made and commercial incubators. The survival of irradiated cells in the incubator was reduced compared to control cells, but this reduction was not significant.

Conclusion: This incubator has the ability to maintain cells and study the effects of electromagnetic radiations on the desired cells, which becomes possible by using this device.

Keywords: CO2 incubator; Cell viability; microwave radiation; nonmetallic walls.