Incubators
Incubators are essential laboratory equipment used to maintain controlled environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels, to support the growth and cultivation of biological samples, such as bacteria, yeast, or cell cultures. Lab incubators provide a stable environment, typically set between 20°C to 45°C, depending on the specific requirements of the organisms being cultured. They are used in microbiology to grow and study microbial cultures, in cell biology for growing mammalian or plant cells, and in biotechnology for fermentation processes. Laboratory incubators come in different types, including traditional air-jacketed incubators, which regulate temperature through natural convection, and CO2 incubators, which provide precise control of both temperature and CO2 levels for optimal cell growth. They may also include features like shakers to gently agitate cultures or in-situ monitoring systems to track and adjust conditions in real-time. Incubators are critical in research, diagnostics, and clinical applications that require controlled, reproducible growth conditions.