i-scope: a compact automated fluorescence microscope for cell counting applications in low resource settings

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microscopy
• Diagnostics

Background:

• Fluorescence microscopy is vital for cell counting in diagnostics.
• Conventional microscopes are bulky, costly, and require expert operation.
• There is a need for accessible, automated cell counting solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a compact, automated digital fluorescence microscopy system, the i-scope.
• To assess the i-scope's utility for cell counting applications, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• To benchmark the i-scope's performance against conventional fluorescence microscopy.

Main Methods:

• The i-scope system utilizes total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) and brightfield illumination modes.
• It features a 30X magnification, ~0.2 µm/pixel resolution, and 20 mm × 20 mm sample scanning.
• Automated image acquisition and analysis are enabled by custom software.

Main Results:

• The i-scope system demonstrated automated cell counting capabilities.
• Performance was benchmarked for milk somatic cell enumeration.
• The system's compact, standalone design facilitates portability and ease of use.

Conclusions:

• The i-scope presents a portable, economic, and automated digital fluorescence microscopy solution.
• It is suitable for point-of-care diagnostics in low-resource environments.
• The system offers a viable alternative to conventional fluorescence microscopes for cell counting.