Purchaser: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Project: Medical and Laboratory Equipment April 2005

Details: Specification Form for Live Cell Fluorescence Imaging CCD Camera and
Control Software
1. Product Description: The CCD Camera should be a monochrome to detect low
fluorescence intensities from living cells. The software controls the CCD-Camera as
well as the Zeiss Axiovert 200M microscope including shutters (Ludl, Uniblitz), filter
wheels (Ludl), focus (Zeiss) and stage(Maerzhauser) and should run on a PC (Workstation)
setup with Windows XP provided with this purchase.
2. Product Requirement: This product is required for live cell fluorescence imaging
during stimulation of apoptosis, using cells expressing one or more GFP fusion
proteins, which may act as fluorescence resonance energy transfer partners. The cells
are usually incubated with at least one additional artificial fluorescence probe.
3. Product Specification
Monochrome CCD Camera: High quantum yield (preferably equal to or greater than
60% between 450 and 600 nm) low noise, low readout noise, high dynamic range
(>3000:1), peltier-cooled to <-25 degree Celsius. Resolution: ~ 1000 x 1000 pixel
on a 2/3" or bigger Chip (e.g. Sony ICX 285 or better), Back-illuminated chip and/or
on-chip electron multiplication optional.
Software: Automation for running long time lapse experiments, minor image processing
capabilities, driver for the required equipment (see above). The software has to provide
user-editable macros/journals which control the setup automatically. Stable performance
is a recommended feature, even if other programs are executed the same time.
Control-PC: P4 3.2 GHz/comparable Processor or higher, Win XP, equal to or
greater than 2 GB RAM, 2 x 180 GB HDD, RAID controller, separate graphic card with
optional 2nd Monitor equal to or greater than 128MB on board (not shared), fastest
chipset and bus currently available on main board, 1x 19" flat panel monitor, resolution
1280x1024 pixel @ 75Hz or better (2nd Monitor optional, Network connection: Gigabit
Ethernet card.
4. Required product capacity: N.A.
5. Required product pressure: To be purchased as soon as possible.
6. Operational Capability: The setup should be capable of continuous operation without
user intervention (overnight). The software should have a programmable user interface
for a maximum of flexibility for the automated control of long term experiments. It
should be designed to control a fully automated research microscope setup with
heated incubation chamber on stage and perfusion system for the cells/tissue under
investigation.
7. Speed of Operation: Camera: preferably equal to or grester than 30 frames per second,
if not reached with full chip specify speed with sub region and binning. Software:
Direct access to hard drive (streaming) for fast imaging acquisition modes.
8. Required product performance: Detection low light level fluorescence light from
Hoechst, CFP, GFP, YFP and Texas Red, originating from living cells maintained
on the stage of the microscope.
Therefore the camera should have an exceptional high quantum yield over the
emission spectrum of the applied fluorescent probes and a high dynamic range.
9. Required Delivery time: Quote best delivery date (see Royal College of Surgeons
in Ireland Instructions to Tenderers, para. 2.5)
10. Required Backup & support facilities: Local technical support within 24hrs. Training
course required, 2 year warranty.
11. Required Spare parts availability: Available within 2days
12. Ancillaries required for product performance: -

Deadline: 29-Apr-2005

For contact:
Att: Barry McGowan, The Research Office, 123 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Tel: 01-402 2394.
Fax: 01-402-2449.
E-mail: procurement@rcsi.ie.
Web: www.rcsi.ie