School of Software, Hallym University, Chuncheon-si 24252, Korea.
Bio-IT Research Center, Hallym University, Chuncheon-si 24252, Korea.
Sensors (Basel). 2021 Oct 22;21(21):7013. doi: 10.3390/s21217013.
The polymerase chain reaction is an important technique in biological research because it tests for diseases with a small amount of DNA. However, this process is time consuming and can lead to sample contamination. Recently, real-time PCR techniques have emerged which make it possible to monitor the amplification process for each cycle in real time. Existing camera-based systems that measure fluorescence after DNA amplification simultaneously process fluorescence excitation and emission for dozens of tubes. Therefore, there is a limit to the size, cost, and assembly of the optical element. In recent years, imaging devices for high-performance, open platforms have benefitted from significant innovations. In this paper, we propose a fluorescence detector for real-time PCR devices using an open platform camera. This system can reduce the cost, and can be miniaturized. To simplify the optical system, four low-cost, compact cameras were used. In addition, the field of view of the entire tube was minimized by dividing it into quadrants. An effective image processing method was used to compensate for the reduction in the signal-to-noise ratio. Using a reference fluorescence material, it was confirmed that the proposed system enables stable fluorescence detection according to the amount of DNA.
聚合酶链式反应是生物研究中的一项重要技术，因为它可以用少量的 DNA 来检测疾病。然而，这个过程耗时且可能导致样本污染。最近，实时 PCR 技术的出现使得对每个循环的扩增过程进行实时监测成为可能。现有的基于相机的系统在 DNA 扩增后同时测量荧光，可同时处理数十个管的荧光激发和发射。因此，光学元件的尺寸、成本和组装都存在限制。近年来，用于高性能、开放式平台的成像设备得益于重大创新。在本文中，我们提出了一种使用开放式平台相机的实时 PCR 设备荧光检测器。该系统可以降低成本并实现小型化。为了简化光学系统，使用了四个低成本、紧凑型相机。此外，通过将整个管划分为四个象限，将视场最小化。使用有效的图像处理方法来补偿信噪比的降低。使用参考荧光材料，证实所提出的系统可以根据 DNA 的数量进行稳定的荧光检测。
