Scan a Gel

See the links on the right for information about acquiring nucleic acid gel images or protein gel images on the Odyssey DLx and Odyssey DLx or Odyssey XF and Odyssey XF or Odyssey M.

See the links below for emission/excitation data and example detection labels.

Scan a Gel on the Odyssey M Imager

Once connected, click Gel on the Choose Assay page to begin imaging gels.

The following imaging settings are used in this workflow. Other settings can be entered in the Custom workflow.

  • Resolution: 100 µm

  • Default Focus Offset: 0.50 mm

    Set the Focus Offset to approximately half the thickness of the gel. The default Focus Offset is 0.50 mm (approximately half the thickness of a typical precast protein gel).

Set Scan Area

  • Draw multiple Scan Areas to image multiple gels.
  • Adjust the exact size and location of a Scan Area. Select a Scan Area, then adjust the number in the X location, Y location, Width, and Height fields in the Control Panel.

Choose detection options

If you have multiple Scan Areas, click Edit Channels to choose detection options independently for each Scan Area.

Click Scan to begin image acquisition.

  1. A single Fluorescent, non-RGB Trans or RGB Trans channel may be selected.

  2. The 700 channel should be used if quantification of Coomassie stained protein gels is desired.

  3. For basic gel documentation of Coomassie gels where quantification is not required the 630 Trans or RGB Trans channel may be preferred for acquisition speed (about 30 seconds for a 10 x 10 cm gel vs. 2 minutes for the 700 channel).

Detection label reference

The detection labels listed in this table are examples. If you do not see the detection label you want to use, check its spectral characteristics to make sure it is compatible.

  • Non-RGB trans channels cannot be imaged together.

  • Non-RGB trans channels cannot be imaged with a fluorescent channel.

  • The RGB trans channel can be imaged with a non-RGB trans channel.

  • The RGB trans channel can be imaged with one or more fluorescent channels.

  • Up to three fluorescent channels can be imaged together.

Channel Labels Excitation Emission
800 IRDye® 800CW, DyLight 800 785 nm 816 - 840 nm
700 IRDye 680LT, IRDye 680RD, SYTO 60, Coomassie Stain 685 nm 721 - 740 nm
520 GelRed, Ethidium Bromide, Midori Green, Pro-Q Diamond Phosphoprotein Gel Stain 520 nm 570 - 610 nm
488 SYBR Safe, SYBR Green, GelGreen, GreenView, Pro-Q Emerald 488 Glycoprotein Gel Stain 488 nm 519 - 543 nm
488A SYPRO Ruby, SYPRO Orange, SYBR Gold 488 nm 570 - 610 nm
RGB Trans Colorimetric Protein MW Markers NA NA
630 Trans Coomassie Stain 631 - 659 nm Clear Window
470 Trans Silver Stain 447 - 472 nm Clear Window

Scan

After clicking Scan on the Choose detection options page, the Scan page will open with the image acquisition process already started.

When the scan has completed, the Ready symbol will appear.

Stop Scan

If you need to stop an image acquisition before the acquisition process completes, click Stop Scan.

This will stop all pending Acquisitions and will remove any partially completed Acquisitions.

Export Acquisition

Ensure the Include all acquisitions option is selected to export every image for every channel from this acquisition process.

Export to Analyze

Click Export to Analyze to export images to a single file. Import the file into Empiria Studio® Software for analysis.

Export to Publish or Present

Click Export to Publish or Present to export image file(s). Images exported using this method are not intended for analysis.

Images can be exported as high resolution TIFF files (for journal publications) or as PNG files appropriate for digital presentation (such as a slide show).

When you are exporting a single image, the default export image size shown in the "Export" dialog is the largest dimension (i.e., width or height) of the image set to 10 cm (4 in), and the other dimension is set according to the aspect ratio of the image. If you change the width or height in the dialog, the other dimension will update automatically to maintain the correct aspect ratio.

See View Images in the Image Gallery for more information.

Workflow
  • Click Start New to return to the beginning of the workflow to acquire another gel image.
  • Click Rescan to acquire new image(s) with the same settings.
  • Click Home to disconnect from the imager and return to the Home page.

Scan a Gel on the Odyssey® F Imager

Once connected, click Gel on the Choose Assay page to begin imaging gels.

The following imaging settings are used in this workflow. Other settings can be entered in the Custom workflow.

  • Resolution: 169 µm

  • Focus Offset: 0.5 mm (default)

    Set the Focus Offset to approximately half the thickness of the gel. The default Focus Offset is 0.50 mm (approximately half the thickness of a typical precast protein gel).

Set Scan Area

  • Draw multiple Scan Areas to image multiple gels.
  • Adjust the exact size and location of a Scan Area. Select a Scan Area, then adjust the number in the X location, Y location, Width, and Height fields in the Control Panel.

Choose detection options

  1. If you have multiple Scan Areas, click Edit Channels to choose detection options independently for each Scan Area.

    Click the Autofill button next to detection options for one Scan Area to apply the options for that Scan Area to all Scan Areas below it in the list.

  2. Click Scan to begin image acquisition.

Detection label reference

The detection labels listed in this table are examples. If you do not see the detection label you want to use, check its spectral characteristics to make sure it is compatible.

Channel* Labels Excitation Emission
800 IRDye® 800CW, DyLight 800 785 nm 813 – 832 nm
700 IRDye 680LT, IRDye 680RD, Syto 60, Coomassie stain 685 nm 710 – 730 nm
520 GelRed, Ethidium Bromide, Pro-Q Diamond Phosphoprotein Gel Stain 520 nm 570 – 610 nm
488 SYBR Safe, SYBR Green, Pro-Q Emerald 488 Glycoprotein Gel Stain 488 nm 538 – 552 nm
488A SYPRO Ruby, SYPRO Orange, SYBR Gold 488 nm 570 - 610 nm

*All channels shown are available in this workflow for the 4-laser Odyssey F (9180). The 700 and 800 channels are available for the 2-laser Odyssey F (9150).

Scan

After clicking Scan on the Choose detection options page, the Scan page will open with the image acquisition process already started.

When the scan has completed, the Ready symbol will appear.

Stop Scan

If you need to stop an image acquisition before the acquisition process completes, click Stop Scan.

This will stop all pending Acquisitions and will remove any partially completed Acquisitions.

Export Acquisition

Ensure the Include all acquisitions option is selected to export every image for every channel from this acquisition process.

Export to Analyze

Click Export to Analyze to export images to a single file. Import the file into Empiria Studio® Software for analysis.

Export to Publish or Present

Click Export to Publish or Present to export image file(s). Images exported using this method are not intended for analysis.

Images can be exported as high resolution TIFF files (for journal publications) or as PNG files appropriate for digital presentation (such as a slide show).

When you are exporting a single image, the default export image size shown in the "Export" dialog is the largest dimension (i.e., width or height) of the image set to 10 cm (4 in), and the other dimension is set according to the aspect ratio of the image. If you change the width or height in the dialog, the other dimension will update automatically to maintain the correct aspect ratio.

See View Images in the Image Gallery for more information.

Workflow
  • Click Start New to return to the beginning of the workflow to acquire another gel image.
  • Click Rescan to acquire new image(s) with the same settings.
  • Click Home to disconnect from the imager and return to the Home page.

Scan a Gel on the Odyssey DLx Imager or Odyssey CLx Imager

Once connected, click Gel on the Choose Assay page to begin imaging gels.

The following imaging settings are used in this workflow. Other settings can be entered in the Custom workflow.

  • Resolution: 169 µm

  • Focus Offset: 0.50 mm (default)

    Set the Focus Offset to approximately half the thickness of the gel. The default Focus Offset is 0.50 mm (approximately half the thickness of a typical precast protein gel).

Set Scan Area

  • Draw multiple Scan Areas to image multiple gels.
  • Adjust the exact size and location of a Scan Area. Select a Scan Area, then adjust the number in the X location, Y location, Width, and Height fields in the Control Panel.

Choose detection options

  1. If you have multiple Scan Areas, click Edit Channels to choose detection options independently for each Scan Area.

    Click the Autofill button next to detection options for one Scan Area to apply the options for that Scan Area to all Scan Areas below it in the list.

  2. Click Scan to begin image acquisition.

Detection label reference

The detection labels listed in this table are examples. If you do not see the detection label you want to use, check its spectral characteristics to make sure it is compatible.

Channel Labels Excitation Emission
800 IRDye® 800CW, DyLight 800 785 nm 812 – 832 nm
700 IRDye 680LT, IRDye 680RD, Coomassie blue stain, SYTO 60 Stain 685 nm 710 – 730 nm

Scan

After clicking Scan on the Choose detection options page, the Scan page will open with the image acquisition process already started.

When the scan has completed, the Ready symbol will appear.

Stop Scan

If you need to stop an image acquisition before the acquisition process completes, click Stop Scan.

This will stop all pending Acquisitions and will remove any partially completed Acquisitions.

Export Acquisition

Ensure the Include all acquisitions option is selected to export every image for every channel from this acquisition process.

Export to Analyze

Click Export to Analyze to export images to a single file. Import the file into Empiria Studio® Software for analysis.

Export to Publish or Present

Click Export to Publish or Present to export image file(s). Images exported using this method are not intended for analysis.

Images can be exported as high resolution TIFF files (for journal publications) or as PNG files appropriate for digital presentation (such as a slide show).

When you are exporting a single image, the default export image size shown in the "Export" dialog is the largest dimension (i.e., width or height) of the image set to 10 cm (4 in), and the other dimension is set according to the aspect ratio of the image. If you change the width or height in the dialog, the other dimension will update automatically to maintain the correct aspect ratio.

See View Images in the Image Gallery for more information.

Workflow
  • Click Start New to return to the beginning of the workflow to acquire another gel image.
  • Click Rescan to acquire new image(s) with the same settings.
  • Click Home to disconnect from the imager and return to the Home page.

Scan a Gel on the Odyssey XF Imager or Odyssey Fc Imager

Once connected, click Gel on the Choose Assay page to begin imaging gels.

The following imaging settings are used in this workflow. Other settings can be entered in the Custom workflow.

  • Resolution: 125 µm

  • Fluorescence Acquisition Time Options: 30 sec, 1 min, 2 min (default), 5 min, 10 min

Choose detection options

The detection labels listed in this table are examples. If you do not see the detection label you want to use, check its spectral characteristics to make sure it is compatible.

Channel Labels Excitation Emission
800 IRDye® 800CW, DyLight 800 785 nm 816 - 846 nm
700 Coomassie Stain, SYTO 60 Stain, IRDye 680RD, IRDye 680LT 685 nm 716 - 746 nm
600 Ethidium Bromide, SYBR Safe 520 nm 573 - 637 nm

Scan

After clicking Scan on the Choose detection options page, the Scan page will open with the image acquisition process already started.

When the scan has completed, the Ready symbol will appear.

Stop Scan
Stop Scan

If you need to stop an image acquisition before the acquisition process completes, click Stop Acquire.

Export Acquisition

Ensure the Include all acquisitions option is selected to export every image for every channel from this acquisition process.

Export to Analyze

Click Export to Analyze to export images to a single file. Import the file into Empiria Studio® Software for analysis.

Export to Publish or Present

Click Export to Publish or Present to export image file(s). Images exported using this method are not intended for analysis.

Images can be exported as high resolution TIFF files (for journal publications) or as PNG files appropriate for digital presentation (such as a slide show).

When you are exporting a single image, the default export image size shown in the "Export" dialog is the largest dimension (i.e., width or height) of the image set to 10 cm (4 in), and the other dimension is set according to the aspect ratio of the image. If you change the width or height in the dialog, the other dimension will update automatically to maintain the correct aspect ratio.

See View Images in the Image Gallery for more information.

Workflow
  • Click Start New to return to the beginning of the workflow to acquire another membrane image.
  • Click Repeat Acquire to acquire new image(s) with the same settings.
  • Click Home to disconnect from the imager and return to the Home page.