POLARstar Omega - Fluorescence polarization microplate reader with Simultaneous Dual Emission Detection and additional measurement modes

		UV/Vis absorbance spectra
		Fluorescence intensity including FRET
		Fluorescence polarization
		Time-resolved fluorescence
		TR-FRET
		AlphaScreen® / AlphaLISA®
		Luminescence including BRET

The POLARstar Omega is built on the FLUOstar Omega microplate reader platform offering all the features of the FLUOstar Omega multidetection microplate reader including BMG LABTECH's unique Tandem Technology plus fluorescence polarization and Simultaneous Dual Emission detection mode.

POLARstar Omega, the multidetection fluorescence polarization microplate reader for life science laboratories, offers the following detection modes:

• UV/Vis Absorbance - measurement of complete spectra or individual wavelengths
• Fluorescence Polarization (FP) - including Transcreener^® ADP² (96-well format)
• Fluorescence Intensity - including FRET
• Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF) - including DELFIA^®
• TR-FRET - including HTRF^® and LanthaScreen™
• AlphaScreen^® / AlphaLISA^®
• High-Performance Luminescence (flash and glow) - including BRET

BMG LABTECH's Dual Emission Detection System utilizes two matched PMTs allowing the detection of two emitted wavelengths at the same time. The microplate has to be read only once and any signal variations due to differences in well volumes and concentrations or fluctuations in excitation energy are corrected. Simultaneous Dual Emission Detection is especially useful for FRET, TR-FRET, BRET and Fluorescence Polarization assays. When compared to other microplate readers, the researchers benefit from this technology getting increased throughput, improved sensitivity and lower %CVs - no other reader in this price range offers simultaneous dual emission.

Advanced Assay Technology Package for the POLARstar Omega:
BMG LABTECH engineers have designed a specialized measurement mode and optical system to provide the POLARstar Omega microplate reader with AlphaScreen^® / AlphaLISA^® performance that rivals any HTS reader. For the first time, experience fantastic AlphaScreen^® / AlphaLISA^® performance on a mid-range microplate reader.

Furthermore, Advanced Performance high-end TRF is part of the Omega's optional Advanced Assay Technology Package. It utilizes an high-end TRF optical reading head that incorporates an assay specific dichroic mirror. Combined with the high intensity xenon flash lamp, assay optimized filters and adjustable gain, the high-end TRF reading head allows the POLARstar Omega to outperform any microplate reader in the mid-range market.

The POLARstar Omega is certified by Promega for the Dual Luciferase Reporter (DLR™) gene assay, certified by CisBio Bioassays for their HTRF^® assay platform, and has LanthaScreen™ certified plus status. It is also validated from Bellbrook Labs for Transcreener^® in 96-well plate format.

The POLARstar Omega multi-mode plate reader also supports the LVis Plate for low volume and cuvette based absorbance measurements. With sixteen micro-drop wells, the LVis Plate is ideal for quick and easy low volume concentration measurements of DNA, RNA or protein samples. The additional horizontal cuvette position, allows for meausrement of standard rectangular cuvettes for rapid, full spectrum analysis of individual samples for kinetic studies or for quick experiments.

The POLARstar Omega also has unique gas control functions. Using the Atmospheric Control Unit (ACU), the POLARstar Omega can independently control oxygen (O₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels inside the microplate reader. Each gas is controlled independently so that any combination of CO₂ and O₂ within the maximum and minimum ranges can be defined. Oxygen levels can be monitored between 1% and 19%; whereas CO₂ levels can be regulated between 0% and 20%. BMG LABTECH also offers a traditional purge gas vent which allows the user to either pump in an inert gas, which can be especially important when working with environmental sensitive samples.

For more information on the Omega microplate reader series, click here.

POLARstar Omega applications include:

• Fluorescence Polarization protein binding studies (1.145)


• Membrane fluidity measurements (AN205)


• Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence measurements (AN196, 2.1157)


• Viability/Caspase assays (2.971)


• Migration assays (AN204)


• Determination of antioxidant capacity/ORAC (AN197)


• Receptor studies, e.g. GPCR (AN196)


• Luciferase reporter gene assays (4.509)


• Enzyme activity/NADH assays (AN170, 6.412) and enzyme kinetics (6.498)


• Spectrometer based UV absorbance DNA, RNA and protein quantitation (AN168)


• ELISA assays (AN213, 6.514)

Furthermore, this fluorescence polarization microplate reader offers a fantastic speed and accuracy advantage in FRET, BRET, and FP assays.

Applications that are benefit greatly from using the POLARstar Omega with microprocessor controlled Atmospheric Control Unit (ACU) for O₂ / CO₂ regulation include:

• Mammalian Cell Assays


• Stem Cell Assays


• Hypoxia


• Cell Viability (AN 159, AN 214)


• Cell Proliferation (AN 195)


• Cell Growth (AN 217, AN 155)


• Migration Studies (AN 204)


• Invasion Assays (AN 144)


• Intracellular pH (Assay Technology ph-XTRA)


• Mitochondrial Studies (AN 207)


• Angiogenesis


• Viral Uptake


• Bacterial Studies (AN 155, AN 207, AN 189, AN 199)


• Ischemia / Reperfusion Injury

For a list of BMG LABTECH application notes that can be performed on the POLARstar Omega fluorescence polarization microplate reader, please click here.

Detection Modes	Fluorescence Intensity - including FRET Fluorescence Polarization / Anisotropy AlphaScreen®/AlphaLISA® Luminescence (flash and glow) - including BRET Time-Resolved Fluorescence - including TR-FRET UV/Vis Absorbance Spectra
Measurement Modes	Top and bottom reading Endpoint and Kinetic measurements Sequential Multi Excitation measurements Sequential Multi Emission measurements Simultaneous Dual Emission measurements Ratiometric measurements Well Scanning
Certified for	HTRF® LanthaScreen® Certified Plus Transcreener® far red FP Transcreener® red FI DLReady™
Microplate Formats	6 to 1536-well plates, user-definable
Microplate Carrier	Robot compatible
Light Sources	High energy xenon flash lamp
Detectors	Two low noise photomultiplier tubes CCD spectrometer
Wavelength Selection	Optical Filters: Ex and Em wheels for 8 filters each
Optical Filters	Excitation and emission filter wheels for 8 filters each
Optical Path Guides	Top: Liquid filled light guides Bottom: Fiber optics
Spectral Range	240 - 750 nm or 240 - 900 nm for FI, FP, FRET, TRF, TR-FRET 240 - 750 nm for LUM 220 - 1000 nm for ABS
Sensitivity*	FI < 10 pM (< 0.2 fmol/well Fluorescein, 384sv, 20 μL) FP < 5 mP SD at 1 nM Fluorescein, 96, 200 μL TRF < 1.5 pM (< 30 amol/well Europium, 384sv, 20 μL) High-End TRF for Omega < 0.15 pM (< 3 amol/well Europium, 384sv, 20 μL) LUM < 1 pM (< 20 amol/well ATP, 384sv, 20 μL) AlphaScreen® < 6 pM (< 100 amol/well P-Tyr-100, 384sv, 17 μL) ABS with Spectrometer Spectral range: 220 - 1000 nm Full spectrum captured in < 1 s/well Selectable spectral resolution: 1 nm, 2 nm, 5 nm, 10 nm OD range: 0 to 4 OD Accuracy: < 1% at 2 OD Precision: < 0.5% at 1 OD and < 0.8% at 2 OD
Read Times	Flying mode 9 s (96), 16 s (384)
Reagent Injection	Up to 2 built-in reagent injectors Injection at measurement position (6 to 384-well) Individual injection volumes for each well (3 to 350 µL) Variable injection speed up to 420 µL / s Up to four injection events per well Reagent back flushing
Shaking	Linear, orbital, and double-orbital with user-definable time and speed
Purge Gas Vent	System to inject an atmosphere or to pull a vacuum into the reader
Incubation	+5°C above ambient up to 45°C or 65°C
Software	Multi-user Reader Control and MARS Data Analysis Software included, FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliant
Dimensions	Width: 44 cm, depth: 48 cm, height: 30 cm; weight: 28 kg
Accessories	Optional Accessories
LVis Plate	Sample Capacity: Sixteen separate microdrop wells for 2 µL samples; One standard cuvette position for up to 1 mL samples. Quality Control Internal Standards (optional): Four NIST traceable optical density filters (approximate values of 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 OD); One holmium oxide filter for wavelength accuracy Dimensions: Conforms to SBS standards for microplates.
Atmospheric Control Unit (ACU)	Oxygen Regulation: 1 - 19% using nitrogen to purge. Carbon Dioxide Regulation: 0 - 20% using 100% moisture free carbon dioxide to purge. Dimensions (ACU only): Width: 44 cm, height: 17 cm and depth: 19 cm; Weight: 5 kg
Stacker	Magazines for up to 50 plates - continuous loading feature
THERMOstar	Microplate Incubator and Shaker
Optical Filters	Optimized for dyes, fluorophores and specific assays Filters for all applications from UV to NIR Customized filters available upon request
Upgrades	Upgrades to include options such as additional detection modes, reagent injectors, extended temperature control, etc. are available. Please contact your local representative for more information.
*	LOD = 3 x SD (20 blanks) / slope (6 pt std curve) AlphaScreen® P-Tyr-100 assay kit, PerkinElmer, #6760620C Microplatets: white for LUM, AlphaScreen®, TRF; black for FI, FP; clear for ABS 96 = 96-well microplates 384sv = 384-well small volume microplates 384g = 384-well glass bottom microplates

Not all of the features mentioned above are available in the basic units or in all detection modes. Optional accessories may be necessary to perform certain assays. Please contact your local distributor for details.

Additional Accessories:
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Additional Links: Applications Compatibility BMG LABTECH Software

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