PRINCIPLE OF INCUBATOR

Job 39:13-14

¹³ Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

¹⁴ Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,

In biology, an incubator is a device used to grow and maintain of course microbiological cultures or cell cultures. The incubator maintains optimal temperature, humidity and other conditions such as the carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen content of the atmosphere inside. Incubators are essential for a lot of experimental work in cell biology, microbiology and molecular biology and are used to culture both bacterial as well as eukaryotic cells.

Incubators are also used in the poultry industry to act as a substitute for hens. This often results in higher hatch rates due to the ability to control both temperature and humidity. Various brands of incubators are commercially available to breeders.

The simplest incubators are insulated boxes with an adjustable heater, typically going up to 60 to 65 °C (140 to 150 °F), though some can go slightly higher (generally to no more than 100 °C). The most commonly used temperature both for bacteria such as the frequently used E. coli as well as for mammalian cells is approximately 37 °C, as these organisms grow well under such conditions. For other organisms used in biological experiments, such as the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a growth temperature of 30 °C is optimal.

More elaborate incubators can also include the ability to lower the temperature (via refrigeration), or the ability to control humidity or CO₂ levels. This is important in the cultivation of mammalian cells, where the relative humidity is typically >95% and a slightly acidic pH is achieved by maintaining a CO₂ level of 5%.

Most incubators include a timer; some can also be programmed to cycle through different temperatures, humidity levels, etc. Incubators can vary in size from tabletop to units the size of small rooms.

There are many other ways to create an incubator. The renowned scientist Louis Pasteur used the small opening underneath his staircase as an incubator.

The maximum temperature for sterilization is 200^oC .