With Imaging Flow Cytometry, Push the Limits of Cellular Research
September 20, 2022
For the past two decades, automated microscopy screens have allowed microbiologists to measure a variety of phenotypes in cells and whole organisms1.
Flow cytometric cell sorting helped isolate cells in a rapid, sensitive and high-throughput way, but lacked the subcellular resolution necessary to sort them based on unique spatial and morphological traits2.
In the context of a disease or a scientific problem, you couldn’t detect the spatial orientation of a fluorescent signal, what shape that fluorescence was in or whether or not the antibodies that were binding to the cell are on the outside of the cell2…until now.
High-speed image-enabled cell sorting (ICS) significantly expands the phenotypic space available to cell sorters by assessing complex cellular phenotypes2.
First spectral flow cytometer with sort-capable image analysis
The BD FACSDiscover™ S8 Cell Sorter expands the power of cell analysis and sorting to new dimensions by combining spectral flow cytometry with real-time spatial and morphological insights—empowering scientists to address previously impossible-to-answer questions.
The three key features of the BD FACSDiscover™ S8 Cell Sorter include: BD CellView™ Image Technology, advanced spectral technology and modern sorting functionalities.
High-speed image-enabled cell sorting
BD CellView™ Image Technology is a novel high-speed cell imaging technology that empowers scientists to answer previously out of reach biological questions by amplifying the power of cell sorting and analysis through real-time integration of image and flow data.
Unlike other technologies, BD CellView™ does not rely on cameras and this makes all the difference when delivering real-time sortable parameters extracted from those images.
More excitingly, BD CellView™ can enhance fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) with live visual inspection of target cells and novel gating strategies based on real-time image feature analysis.
This brings new parameters, such as spatial distribution of fluorescence and adds microscopy-like capabilities to flow cytometry, while opening new and improved ways to address scientific questions.
Advanced spectral technology
Our advanced spectral technology increases flexibility by maximising the choice of fluorochromes detectable by laser. Expanding the palette of colours provides in-depth single-cell insights that can be isolated with high-speed sorting for further downstream studies.
The spectral sorter features 78 fluorescent detectors across five lasers with algorithmically optimised filter bandwidths. Although spectral cytometry can seem intimidating or complex, our advanced spectral cytometry system offers users a guided user interface.
This interface includes individually adjustable spectral detectors, auto-alerts if a detector is saturated and the ability to easily assign an autofluorescence-matched negative for each single-colour control.
Additionally, BD Horizon RealYellow™ and RealBlue™ Dyes are engineered to work in tandem with the BD FACSDiscover™ S8 Cell Sorter for high-parameter spectral analysis. Other dyes designed to be used with spectral flow are being developed.
Our approach to spectral sorting aims to alleviate pressure on users by giving you the know-how to set up your instrument.
Modern sorting functionalities
The BD FACSDiscover™ S8 Cell Sorter allows you to sort based on different cell characteristics. Imaging flow cytometry may be able to see that a cell has a particular protein on the outside or inside of the cell, but by being able to sort based on that and to separate those cells out for further analysis downstream opens whole new avenues for research.
Genomics, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and functional readouts of cell populations are all enabled by this technology.
Andrea Negro, BD Product Manager Europe – High End Research Instruments and Informatics, spoke about imaging flow cytometry with SelectScience at CYTO 2022 in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
