Open AccessAutomated calibration of optoPlate LEDs to reduce light dose variation in optogenetic experiments
Author(s) -
Edvard Os Grødem,
Kieran Sweeney,
Megan N. McClean
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
biotechniques/biotechniques
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1940-9818
pISSN - 0736-6205
DOI - 10.2144/btn-2020-0077
Subject(s) - light emitting diode , brightness , optogenetics , calibration , led lamp , optics , microscope , optoelectronics , materials science , physics , biology , quantum mechanics , neuroscience
Optogenetic systems use light to precisely control and investigate cellular processes. Until recently, there had been few instruments available for applying controlled light doses to cultures of cells. The optoPlate, a programmable array of 192 LEDs, was developed to meet this need. However, LED performance varies, and without calibration there are substantial brightness differences between LEDs on an optoPlate. Here we present a method for calibrating an optoPlate that uses a programmable microscope stage and optical power meter to automatically measure all 192 LEDs of an optoPlate. The resulting brightness measurements are used to calculate calibration values that tune the electrical current supplied to each optoPlate LED to reduce brightness variation in optogenetic experiments.