DEVELOPMENT OF CCD-BASED DIRECT OBSERVATION EQUIPMENT FOR BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES

Equipment for the direct observation of biological samples has been de veloped. The equipment comprises a charge coupled device (CCD) unit an d a light-emitting diode (LED), which is placed above the light-sensin g face of the CCD. The biological sample is positioned just onto the C CD with no lens system interposed. Because of its small size, the equi pment can be operated in an incubator, allowing the continuous observa tion of biological samples under appropriate temperature, humidity and gas concentration conditions. The equipment is operated periodically at 5-minute periods to reduce the influence of heat generated by the e quipment and to maintain a constant sample temperature. E. coli colony formation is observed continuously for 70 hours without any adverse e ffects occurring during the observation. Hepatocyte morphological chan ge and hepatocyte pattern formation are also observed.