Device for observing a living cell or a set of living cells

Imaging device for observing a development of living cells or sets of living cells in context of reproduction study, comprising:

• an imaging system comprising a wide-field camera adapted for observing of one or more living cells or the sets of the living cells to be observed, the one or more living cells or the sets of the living cells being deposited in a Petri dish containing a compartment for each living cell or set of living cells;
• a support capable of receiving the Petri dish and positioned between a lighting system and the imaging system;
• the lighting system comprising three light sources, adapted to emit light rays to illuminate an object which is the one or more living cells or the sets of the living cells to be observed, including a central source, a first lateral source placed on a first side of the central source, and a second lateral source placed on a second side of the central source,
• the lighting system comprising an optical shaping system and being configured to implement each of the following specific types of lighting:
• a “detection” type lighting for detecting the one or more living cells or the sets of the living cells to be observed by the imaging system, the “detection” type lighting being produced using the central source, the first lateral source and the second lateral source, light rays from the light sources being focused by the optical shaping system on the object according to a cone (α_GC) having an angular aperture between 26° and 34°;
• a “contour” type lighting for counting a number of living cell(s) present in the one or more living cells or the set of the living cells observed by the imaging system, the “contour” type lighting being produced using the first lateral source and the second lateral source, the light rays from the first lateral source and the second lateral source being separated by the optical shaping system into two symmetrical collimated beams with respect to an axis (P) perpendicular to a plane formed by a Petri dish support or the Petri dish per se, a first beam from the first lateral source illuminating the object according to an angle of incidence with respect to the perpendicular axis (P) between 10° and 14°, a second beam from the second lateral source illuminating the object according to an angle of incidence with respect to the perpendicular axis (P) between 10° and 14°;
• a “relief” type lighting for viewing a texture and granularity of the one or more living cells or the sets of the living cells present in the one or more living cells or the set of the living cells observed by the imaging system, the “relief” type lighting being produced using the first lateral source and the optical shaping system so that a single collimated light beam propagates along an axis inclined by an angle with respect to the perpendicular axis (P) between 8° and 16°;
• movement means for relative movement of the Petri dish with respect to an assembly formed by the lighting system and the wide-field camera so as to be able to observe the one or more living cells or the sets of the living cells located in the compartments of the Petri dish,
• the wide-field camera having a field of view covering at least a total surface area of one of the compartments of the Petri dish, and the imaging device being adapted to image, without relative movement of the Petri dish with a movement means with respect to the assembly formed by the lighting system and the wide-field camera, one living cell or the set of the living cells in any position in the compartment associated thereto in the Petri dish and the wide-field camera having a resolution adapted for observing the living cell or the set of the living cells at a micrometric level of detail.