Flow Cytometry Instrumentation

FACS Discover A8 (BD Biosciences) is spectral flow cytometer that integrates spectral flow cytometry with real time imaging. It’s hardware design, optimized for full-spectrum optical detection, coupled with a system-aware unmixing algorithm, maximizes the color palette available for flow cytometry and ensures optimal spectral resolution and sensitivity. Cytometer operates in the High-speed mode (spectral only) for acquisition rate up to 35,000 events/sec or in the Imaging mode (spectral + imaging) acquisition rate up to 12,500 events/sec and enables volumetric acquisition. Instrument is equipped with integrated autoloader with temperature control and sample mixing for high-throughput measurement of samples directly from 96-well plates (standard or deep well) or from 40-tube rack (12×75 Falcon tubes) and optional automated SIT flushes between individual samples.

BD FACSymphony™ A5 SE Cell Analyzer (BD Biosciences) is a spectral flow cytometer equipped with six solid-state lasers (355, 405, 447, 488, 561, and 637 nm). The 447 nm laser is aligned collinearly with the 405 nm laser and is turned on only for applications requiring excitation at 447 nm. The cytometer is equipped with 48 fluorescence detectors and two additional detectors for forward and right-angle light scattering. The instrument enables the measurement of the vast majority of fluorochromes and fluorescent proteins. Channels detecting emission above 700 nm are equipped with far-red-sensitive GaAsP detectors. The system features low-noise VPX electronics and is equipped with a High Throughput Sampler (HTS) for high-throughput analysis of samples directly from 96- or 384-well plates.

LSRII (BD Biosciences) flow cytometer is equipped with four solid state lasers (405, 488, 561 and 638nm) and 18 fluorescent detectors and two additional detectors for forward and right angle light scattering. Default optical configuration of the instrument enables the measurement of many frequently used fluorochromes and fluorescent proteins. Large set of dichroic mirrors and bandpass filters is available in the laboratory, making this instrument customizable and capable to cover many different flow cytometry applications. Instrument is equipped with High Throughput Sampler for high-throughput measurement of samples directly from 96- or 384-well plates.

Amnis® ImageStream®X Mk II (Cytek) is imaging flow cytometer. It is equipped with four lasers for fluorescence imaging (405, 488, 561 and 642 nm), dedicated side scatter (darkfield) laser (785 nm) and possibility of brightfield imaging. Instrument is equiped with two CCD cameras, each with six channels. Lasers 405 and 642 nm are collinear as well as lasers 488 and 561 nm. In total, you can image cells in 12 channels: two are dedicated for brightfield (one on each camera for colocalization purpose); ten channels can be used for fluorescence and side scatter imaging. Imaging cytometer has three objectives (20X, 40X 60X), autofocus, extended depth field functionality and autosampler for 96-well plates.

BC-30 Vet Auto Hematology Analyzer is used for analysing mammal animal blood samples, provides complete blood count, leukocyte differential and haemoglobin concentration measurement results. Instrument measurement is based on impedance of measured cells.

FACSDiscover S8 (Waters Biosciences) is the cuvette-based cell sorter that combines spectral flow cytometry with sort-capable real-time imaging. It’s hardware design, optimized for full-spectrum optical detection, coupled with a system-aware unmixing algorithm, maximizes the color palette available for flow cytometry and ensures optimal spectral resolution and sensitivity. The real-time integration of image and flow cytometry data allows visualization and confirmation of cell types in real time before cell sorting.

System is equipped with automated deposition unit, for sorting into multi-well plates. Instrument is capable of six-way sorting. Sample temperature control adjustable through software: 4°C, 22°C, 37°C and 42°C or off.

BD Influx (BD Biosciences) is the polychromatic high-speed jet-in-air sorter. It is equipped with five solid state lasers (355, 405, 488, 561 and 640nm). System is equipped with forward (FSC) and side (SSC) scatter detectors and 14 fluorescence detectors, thus it is capable to cover very broad range of fluorochromes and fluorescent proteins. Forward scatter channel has the “small particle option” for the measurement of the particles from 500 nm size.

Optical configuration of the detection path is customizable. System is equipped with automated deposition unit, for sorting into multiwell plates or to other devices. Instrument is capable of six way sorting. Aerosols from the sort chamber are cleared by aerosol evacuation system and whole sorter is enclosed in the class II. biological safety cabinet to maximize the sample protection as well as operator safety.

FACSAria IIu (BD Biosciences) is the polychromatic high-speed cuvette-based cell sorter. It is equipped with five solid-state lasers (405, 445, 488, 561 and 637nm). System is equipped with forward (FSC) and side (SSC) scatter detectors and with 18 fluorescence detectors.

Optical configuration of the detection path is customizable. System is equipped with automated deposition unit, for sorting into multiwell plates. Instrument is capable of four-way sorting.

Automated cell separator autoMACS NEO (Miltenyi Biotec) utilizes the technology of separation of the target cells, labeled with magnetic nanoparticles, in the strong magnetic field. AutoMACS NEO is capable of automated positive or negative separation of up to 6 cell suspensions in the volumes from 0.1 to 42 ml.

Powerfull desktop PC running FlowJo analysis platform for single-cell flow cytometry analysis with open-ended plugin architecture. The FlowJo workspace is a powerful statistical environment that is used for immunophenotyping, cell cycle, proliferation, kinetics studies, quantitative population comparison, or plate screening assays and more. (Additional 30 licenses of FlowJo software are distributed among IMG users.)

Obsolete workstation running old MAC version of FlowJo 9.x still used by some users.

Standard workstation for image analysis. It offers ZEN software for working with Zeiss specific file formats. Helicon Focus Pro enables extended depth focus image correction. In collaboration with the Flow Cytometry Core Facility, it also enables analysis of image cytometry data from the Image Stream flow cytometer using IDEAS software with a machine learning module.

Standard workstation for image analysis. It offers the analysis of FLIM and FCS data from the Stellaris 8 microscope. In collaboration with the Flow Cytometry Core Facility, it also enables the analysis of image cytometry data from the Image Stream flow cytometer using the IDEAS and Amnis AI software packages.

Workstation operated in collaboration with the Flow Cytometry Core Facility, that provides access to FlowJo software for flow cytometry data analysis. It can be used for more sophisticated analysis of FCS files exported from ScanR Analysis software. In addition, R programming language is also available.