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Oroboros FAQ

From Bioblast

                



Oroboros FAQ


Applications and samples

Is the O2k easy to use in standard applications of mitochondrial respiration?

The O2k is a robust instrument, ready to be used for standard applications, providing high reliability, stability of the oxygen sensor over several months, and full software support. See: DatLab

Most 'oxygraphs' are designed for analyzing isolated mitochondria. Which types of samples can be analyzed with the O2k?

The O2k can be routinely applied for cultured cells, living cells and tissue biopsies, permeabilized cells and tissue biopsies, microbial cultures, oxygen-consuming enzymes, antioxidant systems, and, of course, isolated mitochondria. See: Respirometry and O2k-Publications.

Can the O2k be applied for the measurement of oxygen consumption in delicate mammalian cells, when limited numbers of cells are available?

Compared to other instruments, the O2k requires five to ten times lower cell numbers for routine measurements of cell respiration, making it highly cost-, personnel- and time-efficient.

Can the O2k be applied for measuring human biopsies?

When permeabilized biopsy preparations are utilized, the O2k provides the unique potential to reduce sample size to as little as 1 mg fresh weight per experimental run, supporting application of complex titration protocols.

Can the O2k be applied to measure tissue oxygen concentration?

No. The O2k is a 'chamber' approach, for application with tissue biopsies, cultured cells or isolated mitochondria. Whereas HRR cannot be applied for measurement of tissue O2 concentration, it is the method of choice for analysis of tissue O2 consumption and functional diagnosis of mitochondrial injuries.

Can the O2k be applied for measurement of oxygen consumption in adherent cells?

Attached cells may be grown on disks before being introduced into the cylindrical chamber of the O2k. Alternatively, cells attached to beads can be used. The Sample Holder may be useful for these applications. Alternatively, gentle stirring, with the use of specific small stirring bars, is advisable to avoid crashing of the beads. Routinely, we apply the O2k on adherent cells after transfering them into suspension. For small cells, such as fibroblasts, at least 200,000 cells per chamber are required. More information: Zdrazilova 2022 PLOS ONE

How many parameters can be measured simultaneously?

The O2k is designed to measure respiration plus one additional parameter at a time. It might be possible to measure more than one additional parameter at a time with the O2k-Q-Module and O2k-Fluo Smart-Module.


Delivery content, warranty and support

Does the purchase include installation, setup and training?

  • Installation and setup

On-site installation and setup is not included in the purchase of an Oroboros O2k. Setup and installation are usually performed by the customers themselves with the help of our detailed and user-friendly O2k-Manual which is sent out with the O2k. In addition, the manual can also be easily down-loaded form our website (O2k-Manual). There is also a section for technical service. Our technical specialists, based here in Innsbruck, can also assist in helping to locate and solve any technical problems, should these arise. Based on our experience and feedback received from customers all over the world, we are confident that you will easily master the set-up and installation.

  • Training
The purchase of an O2k includes a waived registration fee for our O2k-Workshop, which takes place at regular intervals all over the world. For more information on our upcoming O2k-Workshops (IOC), please take a look at Oroboros Events or send an Email to: instruments@oroboros.at.

Is it possible to extend the warranty period?

Yes, it is possible to extend the warranty period by a total of three years. For more details, please contact our office: instruments@oroboros.at

Do you offer the option to lease or rent your instruments?

It is possible to lease the O2k over the course of three years, after which the instrument passes over into your ownership. Furthermore, you can rent an instrument for a short period (e.g. several weeks or months) if you need to improve your throughput for a specific study or experiment. Contact our office for further details: instruments@oroboros.at

Are you registered with System for Award Management (SAM)?

Yes.