Table 1 Bench-top testing. Bench-top testing comparison for ease of use and performance between commercial and proposed chamber designs.
| Chamber type | Oligene FCS | Bioptechs FCS2 | Warner RC-30 | ProFlow™ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use |
• Straightforward assembly • Retaining ring difficult to position • Persistent leakage • Difficult to envision in use in sterile environment • Good for optical imaging • Convenient connection to syringe pump |
• Difficult assembly • Stage adaptor fit both Zeiss and Leica scopes with ease • Many parts, "over engineered" • Tubing easily connected to syringe pump • Bottom coverslip extremely fragile |
• Difficult assembly • Polymer gasket difficult to manage • Chamber fits together well • Difficult to seal chamber → leakage • Tubing poorly sized and too stiff |
• Relatively easy to assemble • Vacuum grease needed to seal well but grease is never in contact with cells • Ease of use diminishes under sterile conditions |
| Performance |
• Issues with sealing • 0.25–2 ml/min flow without leaking • Leakage at higher flow rates • Leakage between inlet and chamber body |
• Major leakage unless extra spacer used • Needed much silicon grease to insure sealing, but then no leakage up to >36 ml/min • Numerous & persistent air bubbles and pockets formed inside chamber |
• Major leakage problems • Max flow ~1–12 ml/min • No sealing possible without grease, contrary to instruction manual • Significant bubble formation |
• No leakage problems once cover slip sizing issue addressed • Flow rates up to 60 ml/min |
| Major Strength | Straightforward assembly | Stage adaptor increases flexibility | Chamber fits together well | No leakage, No bubbles |
| Major Weakness | Leakage, no heating apparatus included | Leakage, bubbles | Leakage, bubbles | No heating apparatus included |