Scanalytics Ratio Plus is a set of IPLab for Macintosh-compatible extensions which enables you to acquire, process and analyze dual wavelength image data for Ca++ and pH ratio experiments using high quality cameras and wavelength switching systems.

The Ratio Plus extensions have been designed to provide power, flexibility, ease of use, and improved experimental consistency. With Ratio Plus you can acquire image sequences, store them in memory or on hard disk, calculate ion concentration, plot mean fluorescence or ion concentration over time, and animate the resulting image sequence. In addition, Ratio Plus gives you maximum flexibility in designing your own experiments.

The ICCD-based system is designed specifically for ratio imaging of fast cellular events. Because this system utilizes an intensified CCD video camera, you can detect very low light emissions from your fluorescent samples even at video-rate exposure times (1/30 of a second). The frame grabber performs video-rate averaging and summing to quickly decrease the effects of noise produced in the intensification process.

You can also choose a digital CCD system which is somewhat slower, but is very versatile. In addition to ratio imaging, the digital system can be used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), deconvolution and 3D rendering.

Add a high-speed filter wheel or other wavelength changer, and you can rapidly capture image data resulting in high quality time-lapse sequences of dual-wavelength images. Ratio Plus's acquisition capability includes control of LEP or Sutter filter wheels and shutters, or any other RS-232-controllable wavelength changing devices. This gives you control of exposure at the excitation light source, minimizing photobleaching and subsequent damage to the sample.