Fluorescence detection and imaging of cytosolic calcium oscillations: A comparison of four equipment setups

The increase in cytosolic calcium concentration has been shown to play an important role in vital cellular functions such as muscle contraction, cell secretion, oocyte fertilization, nerve conduction, embryo development and apoptosis in animals, plants and microbes, and in the invasion of mammalian cells by parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Therefore, live cell imaging of increases in cytosolic calcium concentration in cellular compartments has been investigated intensively. Multiple calcium imaging systems are now available commercially, but when it comes to deciding which model to purchase, it is often hard to obtain enough information for an optimal setup. In this paper, a comparison was made among four fluorescent detection/imaging devices for the detection of cytosolic calcium oscillations induced in rat pancreatic acinar cells by cholecystokinin and in hepatocytes by phenylephrine. Detailed equipment setup, differences in data acquisition and analysis, and side effects of the excitation light on live cells were analyzed. A list of important factors that should be considered in choosing the optimal equipment are recommended, which will be useful for users of such devices in the future.