Quick Reference Guide

Using the Mic qPCR instrument

and micPCR Software
Introduction Set up a Mic qPCR instrument
For detailed information about the Mic qPCR 1. Place the instrument on a flat surface no more than
instrument, refer to the Mic Real Time PCR Cycler 2 meters (~6 feet) from the computer for a USB
User Manual available from the micPCR Software connection and no more than 7 meters (~22 feet)
for a wireless connection.
Help menu.
2. Plug one end of the power adapter into the back of
Minimum computer requirements the instrument and the other end into a wall outlet.
• Windows* 7, 32- or 64-bit operating system 3. Power on the instrument by pressing the power
(English version) or later switch on the back.
• .NET Framework 4.5 or higher. The .NET 4. Connect the instrument to the computer by USB
Framework can be downloaded at: cable.
dotnet.microsoft.com/download. OR
For wireless connectivity, screw the wireless antenna
• Intel* i5 processor, 2.4 GHz, or greater into the port on the back of the cycler.
• 4 GB RAM 5. Double-click the IDEXX micPCR icon on your
• 1 GB free hard-drive capacity desktop to start the software.
• Mouse The software recognizes the instrument and displays
• USB drive the Instrument icon in the top right corner of the
toolbar.
• Adobe* Reader* installed for report viewing
Tip: If the instrument is not automatically
recognized, click Scan for Instruments on the right
Setting up the micPCR Software and
side of the toolbar.
instrument
6. Name the instrument.
Install the software
Enable Bluetooth
The micPCR Software is located on a USB flash drive
included with the instrument. If you are connecting the instrument wirelessly, you
must enable Bluetooth* on your computer.
1. Insert the USB flash drive into a USB port on your
computer. Windows 7 computer:
2. In File Explorer, locate the USB drive, double-click 1. Click the Windows* Start button.
the drive name, and then double-click the 2. Type Bluetooth settings in the Search box and press
IDEXX_micPCR.msi file name to start the Enter.
installation.
3. Click Change Bluetooth Settings.
3. Follow the prompts to install the software.
4. Click the Options tab, and then under Discovery,
An IDEXX micPCR icon appears on the desktop. select the check box labeled Allow Bluetooth
Devices to Find This Computer.

1
Windows* 10 computer: IMPORTANT: The first tube in each set of 4 tubes
1. Click the Windows button . has a small plastic tab or protrusion on one side to
help you recognize which side is which. Make sure
2. On the left, click Settings . the tab faces the center of the rotor.
3. Click Devices. 4. Load any empty rotor positions with water-filled
4. Click the slider button under Bluetooth to slide it to tubes (filled to the same volume as the other
the On position. tubes).
5. Insert the tube clamp into the top of the rotor and
Downloading assay files close the lid.
To run RealPCR* assays, you must download assay
Selecting assays and starting the run
files for the tests you want to run. You need to do this
only once. 1. Turn on the instrument.
1. In a web browser, go to https://www.idexx.com/en/ 2. Double-click the IDEXX micPCR icon on your
livestock/testing-solutions/idexx-realpcr-modular- computer desktop to start the software.
platform/realpcr-resources. 3. Click New in the toolbar, and then select Run.
2. Click the assay file you want. The file is
downloaded automatically to your Downloads
folder as a .zip file.
3. Open the Downloads folder, right-click the assay
file name, click Copy, and then navigate to:
• (Windows 7) C:Documents > IDEXX >
4. In the software, click + next to Assays and select
IDEXX micPCR
an assay; repeat to add more assays if needed.
• (Windows 10) This PC > Documents > IDEXX > Multiple assays can be used in the same run.
IDEXX micPCR.
Note: Your Documents folder may be located
differently; for example, it may be under a user’s
folder.
4. Right-click and select Paste to paste the assay .zip
file into the folder.
5. Extract the contents of the assay zip file into the
Assays subfolder. 5. Identify the samples:
a. Under Run Setup, click Samples. The
Running RealPCR assays Samples pane lists rotor wells 1–48.
For sample preparation instructions, refer to the b. For each well, enter the sample name or ID,
product insert that comes with each RealPCR assay. select the sample type (Unknown, Positive
Control, or Negative Control), and select
Loading samples
the assay name (if more than one assay is
1. Pipette samples and available).
prepared PCR mix into tubes
using the 4-well tubes and
loading rack provided with
the cycler.
2. Cap the tubes, using the
caps and capping tool
provided.
3. Remove the magnetic tube clamp from the top of
the rotor, and place the tubes into the rotor, starting
with position 1.
Note: You can also enter the sample information
during or after the run. 2
6. When ready to start the run, click the name of the 2. In the Samples pane on the right, click sample
cycler in the toolbar, and then click Start Run from names to hide or display the associated
the drop-down list. A confirmation box is displayed. amplification curves and result data.
7. Click Start. You are prompted to save the assay Tips:
run file. • Drag the small dividing bars to expand or
8. Navigate to a location where you want to save the contract each pane in the results window.
run results, give the file a new name, if desired, and • If amplification curves are oddly shaped or dip
click Save. below the threshold, or if negative sample lines
The LED on the front of the instrument turns green. rise above the threshold, try increasing the
When the run is complete, the green LED flashes. The Ignore Cycles Before option (located under
lid will unlock when the instrument has cooled down. Parameters) by 1 or 2. This setting helps to
eliminate excessive background fluorescence.
Viewing and analyzing assay results
Viewing results after a run
1. Under Analysis, click the small arrow next to
Cycling and then
select the target.
Note: Cycling is the • Use the buttons in the top right corner of
only analysis method the result table to save or copy the data table.
available for RealPCR 3. To close the results, click the X to the right of the
assays. assay name under Cycling.
OR 4. When asked to confirm deletion, click OK.
To open previously saved results, click Open The analysis is deleted from the window, but
in the toolbar, find and select the saved result file the assay results file is still available and can be
(result files have an .idexxrun extension), and click reopened and analyzed as needed.
Open.
Saving result data to Excel*
A quantification cycle (Cq) value is displayed for
each positive well. This is the cycle number at 1. With the assay results open in the software, click
which the sample fluorescence rises above the the down arrow to the right of Save As in the
threshold (the red horizontal line near the bottom of toolbar, and select Excel Workbook.
the amplification curve chart).

2. Navigate to a location to save the workbook,

update the file name if desired, and click
Save As.

3
Generating a report: 4. To export the data contents to a comma-separated-
1. With the assay results open in the software, click + value (CSV) format for further analysis, click the
next to Reports. A report preview opens. down-arrow next to Export and select CSV.
The export option offers a variety of other export
formats.

2. Select or deselect the options in the Configuration

pane to add or remove report contents.
3. Use the toolbar at the top of the report to print,
export, email, or otherwise work with the report;
hover the mouse pointer over each tool to see a
description.

© 2019 IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. • 06-0013640-00

RealPCR is a trademark or registered trademark of IDEXX Laboratories,
Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other
product and company names and logos are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.

Manufactured for IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

One IDEXX Drive, Westbrook, ME 04092
USA
idexx.com