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BD FACSAria II cell sorter

Fluidics

Sample to Sort Collection Optics Multicolor Controls and Analysis Services

New fluidics design enables easy aseptic setup and effective cleaning.

The fluidics system moves particles from the sample injection chamber through the cuvette flow cell for interrogation and sorting into a collection device.

Aseptic setup and cleaning are achieved through a new fluidics design that is both effective and easy to use. It features integrated valve manifolds, and a streamlined fluidics path, to allow for improved aseptic sort setup. In addition, new software wizards make aseptic sort setup easy.

The heart of a flow cytometer –
the gel-coupled cuvette flow cell

The gel-coupled cuvette flow cell is where the sample is interrogated and measurements are performed. The BD FACSAria was the first cell sorter with a flow cell in true fixed alignment with the laser and gel coupled to the collection optics. Fixed alignment of the flow cell and laser helps to ensure that the laser is precisely focused on the sample stream and that each of the lasers can generate the greatest amount of signal.

Fixed alignment minimizes startup time, improves experiment-to-experiment reproducibility, and enables automated daily quality control. Gel coupling to the objective lens improves collection efficiency and increases sensitivity and resolution needed for multicolor applications. This design enables multicolor sensitivity even at high-speed sort settings. Since particle interrogation occurs above the nozzle, insertion and removal of the nozzle can occur without realigning the optics or the fluid stream.

The fluidics cart

A separate fluidics cart supplies sheath and cleaning fluids and collects waste from the cytometer. The self-contained fluidics cart supplies the air pressure and vacuum needed to achieve pressure from 5 to 75 psi to accommodate a variety of cell sorting applications. Air pressure is adjusted within BD FACSDiva™ software.

The fluidics cart holds a 10-L stainless steel sheath tank, a 5-L stainless steel ethanol shutdown tank, a 10-L waste container, and three 5-L auxiliary cleaning fluid containers. The stainless steel sheath tank can be autoclaved for aseptic cleaning. The cart is typically positioned directly under or to the left of the cytometer.

BD Accudrop technology

Patented BD Accudrop™ technology makes it easy to determine an accurate drop-delay value. Drop delay determination is now easier due to software automation.

Software diplay of stream breakoff

After the drop delay is calculated, the system automatically adjusts to maintain a constant breakoff dubbed the Sweet Spot. If a clog is detected, the system stops the sort and protects the collection tubes.

Cuvette flow cell

Hydrodynamic focusing within the flow cell forces particles through the cuvette in a single-file stream where laser light intercepts the stream at the sample interrogation point. The unique flow cell design permits particles to flow through the cuvette at a low velocity, allowing longer exposure to laser energy. This ensures optimal resolution and sensitivity even at high speed sort settings. After passing through the cuvette, the stream accelerates through the nozzle and droplets are formed for sorting.

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