PRINCIPLE OF INCUBATOR
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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 200oC .
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