Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur automatischen Erzeugung einer Wärmevermeidungsreaktion von Nematoden oder ähnlichen Lebewesen

摘要

The invention relates to a device (10) and a method for automatically producing a thermal recoil response in nematodes, in particular in order to test pharmaceutical substances. The device (10) comprises a bearing surface (12), on which sample containers (14) of nematodes (16) are arranged, a laser (18), a device (27) for selectively interrupting the laser beam to regulate the duration of the laser pulse and a scanner (22) for projecting and focussing the laser beam and for controlling a deviation. A light source (28) irradiates the sample container (14) with light, which induces a contrast in the nematodes in the container. An additional light source (29) can also irradiate the sample container (14) with light, in order to excite fluorescently labelled areas of the nematodes, causing them to fluoresce. A real-time image processing device that is connected to the camera (30) determines the respective position of all areas that are relevant for the laser irradiation of the nematodes and makes available this information to a controller (32). Said controller (32) successively directs the beam path of the laser (18) onto different areas of individual nematodes using the scanner (22).