Flow Cytometer Integrated with Robotics for Cellular Analysis

A flow cytometer was successfully integrated into a fully automated "seed and feed” culture system.

Cost effective for a wide variety of multicolor applications in life science, drug discovery, and basic clinical research, the flow cytometer features three-color fluorescence, side scatter, electronic volume, and absolute count measurements along with easy-to-use software, automated color compensation, and multiple excitation wavelengths including UV. Called the Quanta SC multiplatform loader (MPL), it has been integrated online with other peripheral devices and a robotic arm that moves cell culture plates to the flow cytometer for analysis. Data from the analysis are automatically captured by the Quanta SC MPL's software for real-time and subsequent analysis and interpretation.

The MPL upgrade option provides additional flexibility, enabling the handling of samples in both plates and tubes and sample preparation prior to acquisition. The Quanta SC MPL can analyze a sample in as little as 30 seconds, in labware formats that include 24-, 96- or 384-well cell culture plates.

The integrated flow cytometer provides an expanded range of measurements for high-throughput, including walkaway cell analyses, cell count and viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, and cell surface marker. The system was designed and customized by Beckman Coulter's (Fullerton, IL, USA) Integrated Solutions Group.

"Flow cytometry is a powerful cellular analysis tool,” commented Bob Lund, group manager of Integrated Solutions for Beckman Coulter. "With the use of robotics to deliver plates to the Quanta SC MPL, automated cell culture systems can fully incorporate the cytometer's speed and range of measurement parameters.”


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