Great imager with good support

February 19, 2015

Florida State University
Biological Science
Graduate Student

Overall

Performance

Ease-of-Optimization

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Company:

LI-COR Biosciences

Product Name:

Odyssey Imager

Catalog Number:

9120

This imager works well for fluorescent immunoblotting. The software was more user-friendly than a lot of the software available on the market, and their technical support was very helpful.

Experimental Design and Results Summary

Application

Western blotting

Starting Material

Nitrocellulose membrane

Protocol Overview

Prepare fluorescent Western blot according to standard protocols and keep covered (to protect from light). Apply membrane face-down to imager. Use roller (supplied) to flatten the membrane. Close lid and scan image. Make adjustments as needed via included software.

Tips

Avoid milk as a blocker!

Results Summary

This scanner works quickly and well. The pictures are high-quality and can be adjusted as you scan. If you want to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (and don't want to re-use the blot), let it dry out and then scan it. Some antibodies do not give good pictures for the Odyssey and work better via chemiluminescence; some antibodies give great pictures for the Odyssey and do not work for chemiluminescence. Give both techniques a try for optimization. Can blot for 2 antibodies at once using separate colors.

Features Summary

Near-infrared imaging decreases background for most antibodies and blockers.

Additional Notes

Block with milk or BSA increases background, especially compared to the company's blocking buffer.

Image Gallery

Summary

The Good

Can blot for 2 antibodies simultaneously, good resolution.

The Bad

Limited to 2 antibodies at once; some visible-spectrum scanners allow up to 4.

The Bottom Line

A good scanner and a great option for fluorescent blotting. I had great experiences with their customer service and recommend them.

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