Multiplex Fluorescence Imaging Systems

Fluorescent Western blot imaging systems do it all: illuminate the blotting membrane, detect the signals over background noise, capture the blot image, and analyze the signals. As such, most systems contain a light source, emission filters, and a photosensor (such as a CCD camera). Possible light sources may include RGB (red/green/blue), UV (ultraviolet) and/or white light. Some systems do even more, with multiplexing capabilities to detect and image multiple fluorescent signals simultaneously in the same experiments. In addition to multiplex fluorescent signals, some fluorescent Western blot imaging systems may also be able to detect luminescent, colorimetric, and radioisotopic signals. Some systems may feature confocal optics to boost sensitivity when detecting targets present in low abundance, which must be reliably distinguished from background signals.