We humans have been harnessing biological processes to make life a little sweeter ever since the first developments in agriculture. Tapping into life's processes to make things such as cheese, bread, and beer (the essentials) has been going on for thousands of years. Now, there is a whole area of digital micro imaging for biotechnology research which encompasses the vast applications of these biological processes.
The field of applied biology called biotechnology uses living organisms and bioprocesses to do truly amazing things. Biotechnology is used in engineering, technology, medicine, and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology is also used in genetically modified foods, transgenic crops and animals, biopharmaceuticals, recombinant DNA technology, and bioremediation.
Leading companies in micro imaging research are using new technology that allows for the extraction of even the smallest biomaterials from heterogeneous tissue and cell colonies. The secret behind the method is a pure, contact-free optical technique that is gentle enough to facilitate micro dissection and the manipulation of living cells in culture. The best digital microscopes come equipped with the latest in laser technology. This allows for contact-free and contamination-free specimen capture and micro dissection.
Researchers who use digital micro imaging for biotechnology research report a vast increase in workflow speed. The image is displayed using an integrated camera onto a monitor or projection screen. Integrated color management ensures for brilliant images in true color. By bypassing the need for eyepieces, digital micro imaging technology avoids painful muscle tension and eye strain. Something that travels faster than ever in the world today is information. With integrated E-mail function and remote viewing, sharing work and discussing work with partners is easier than ever. Now, researchers can get the work they need to get done faster, wherever they are.
In modern medicine, biotechnology has promising applications in a number of areas. Drug production and pharmaceuticals have both made ready use of biotechnology. Modern methods of manufacturing pharmaceutical products frequently make use of biotechnology. Biotechnology first saw use in pharmaceutical manufacturing with recombinant DNA technology to modify Escherichia coli bacteria. This resulted in the production of human insulin.
Before this technique was discovered, insulin was extracted from the pancreas glands of cattle and pigs. Although animal-derived insulin is mostly effective in treating diabetes, allergic reactions were noted to sometimes occur. This can be accredited to the subtle differences between insulin derived from humans and farm animals.
Genetic researchers were able to produce two genes for each of the two protein chains that comprise the insulin molecule. The genes are then inserted into plasmids among a group of genes that are activated by lactose. The result is two insulin-producing genes activated by lactose. By inserting the recombinant plasmids into Escherichia coli bacteria and combining the two protein chains, the bacteria produces as much as 100,000 molecules of human insulin.
Before recombinant DNA was used to modify bacteria and produce the human growth hormone, the hormone had to be extracted from the pituitary gland of cadavers. Unlike animal derived-insulin, animal growth hormones have no therapeutic upshot for mankind to date. The hormone was constantly seeing significant shortages since it took fifty cadavers to supply a single year's supply of the growth hormone.
Digital micro imaging for biotechnology research is also used in gene therapy, an important process involved in treating cancer. The technology and techniques behind gene therapy are still in developmental stages; however, it has been used with some success for treating or curing genetic and acquired diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Biotechnology has also found use in genetic testing, such as prenatal diagnostic screening. There are many benefits of using this technology to test and learn about a fetus. Presymptomatic testing for a number of different diseases and disorders is possible, and the sex of the future baby can also be determined.
One of the top digital imaging companies providing modalities specifically designed for preclinical research such as scientific digital imaging, in vivo testing micro imaging, in vivo high-resolution imaging,and digital imaging system.
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