Brilliant Gel Visualisation with Visi-Blue Technology

UVP, LLC announces enhanced visualisation and imaging capabilities with new Visi-Blue™ technology. Visi-Blue transillumination is recommended for viewing a wide range of fluorescent stained gels which emit light at 460-470nm, including GelGreen™, SYBR^® Green, SYBR Gold, SYBR Safe, GelStar^®, SYPRO^® Ruby, SYPRO Orange and other fluorescein stains. Visi-Blue technology, including Transilluminators and Converter Plates, does not produce UV light and therefore eliminates UV exposure and minimises damage to samples. Furthermore, Visi-Blue technology is UV-safe, allowing researchers to perform experiments without concern about harmful UV effects.

The Visi-Blue instruments' specially designed filter glass and lighting combination enable bright gel illumination and excitation. Visi-Blue light reduces background noise and increases image signal, creating a higher image contrast for enhanced visualisation and analysis. An amber cover, included with Visi-Blue Transilluminators and optional on Converter Plates, absorbs the blue excitation and provides a clear view of the stained gel's brilliant fluorescence. When viewing the fluorescent gel through the amber cover, researchers can easily see the critical aspects of the sample, allowing for optimal band cutting. For researchers that currently use a UV transilluminator, the Visi-Blue Converter Plate converts UV to a safe 460-470nm excitation wavelength. The Visi-Blue instruments are available in a variety of filter sizes to accommodate gels ranging from 21x26cm to 20x40cm.

For researchers photographing gels using Visi-Blue instruments with a UVP gel imaging system, a UVP-proprietary and unique camera filter is provided with all Visi-Blue equipment. Captured gels clearly display the sensitivity and high image contrast that Visi-Blue instruments provide.

According to Mike Capps, UVP’s Marketing Product Manager: “Visi-Blue technology allows lab researchers to use a wide variety of newer and safer stains for fluorescence imaging. These stains, described above, are much safer than Ethidium Bromide, which is both a known carcinogen and mutagen. By eliminating EtBr from the lab setting, user safety is increased, hazardous material control costs are significantly decreased, and both mutagenic and UV
damage to samples are virtually eliminated. Many of today’s advanced laboratories have begun using this new fluorescence technology, and UVP is proud to offer an innovative and flexible array of solutions to meet these demands.”

UVP's Visi-Blue technology supplies a UV safe method for visualisation and capture of a wide range of fluorescent stains.