We have the following instruments available...

BD Biosciences FACSVantage DiVa.  This is one of our high-speed cell sorters.  It has been upgraded with the DiVa digital sorting system, allowing full digital data acquisition, analysis and sorting control.  This instrument can be configured with up to three lasers, allowing three excitation wavelengths to be used simultaneously, and can detect up to eleven fluorescent parameters simultaneously with comprehensive real-time software-based compensation.  It can sort up to 15,000 cells per second with collection of four subpopulations simultaneously.  The instrument is equipped with temperature controlled sample and collection chambers, the CloneCyt module for sorting cells directly into microtiter plates and a Cytek Time Zero kinetic module for calcium studies.  A Cytek aerosol containment system allows BSL2 level sorting.

• To schedule multilaser analysis and sorting on the FACSVantage DiVa, click here.
• To see instructions for preparing for a sort (required reading!), click here.
• The lasers on the FACSVantage DiVa have been completely converted to solid state.  Information here.
• For information on PMTs, dichroics and filters on the FACSVantage DiVa (and what fluorochromes they can detect), go here.
• For information about kinetic analysis, go here.

•   We have installed a Power Technology dual-module 405 nm violet laser diode on our FACSVantage DiVa, for excitation of Cascade Blue, Alexa Fluor 405 and Pacific Blue, as well as Cyan Fluorescent Protein and CFP-YFP FRET.  This unit merges two violet laser diode beams using a polarized beamsplitter for nearly 100 mW of total violet laser output.  More information is here.

•   We have a Cytek Development aerosol containment system on our FACSVantage DiVa for improved biohazard containment.  More information is here.

• Click here to see optical information on the old FACSVantage SE.

BD Biosciences FACSAria.  This is our newest high-speed cell sorter.  It is equipped with three lasers (488, 633 and 405 nm) and can detect up to 12 fluorochromes simultaneously.  It has the extended detector clusters, allowing 6 fluorochromes to be excited and detected with the 488 nm laser, three with the 633 nm red, and three with the 405 nm violet.  It can sort up to 20,000 events per second, and is equipped with aerosol containment for BSL2 level sorting.  Tje FACSAria runs the same DiVa software package as the FACSVantage and the LSR II.

CompuCyte iCys Inverted Laser Scanning Cytometer.  The iCys is an upgrade of our original LSC2.  Like the original LSC, this instrument is equipped with three lasers (argon-ion, yellow helium-neon and a violet laser diode) for excitation of a wide variety of fluorochromes, and has been retrofitted with a digital camera for high-resolution microphotography.  The upgrade is now built around an inverted microscope, allowing us to scan virtually any surface (microtiter plates, cell culture dishes, chamber slides, etc.)  Improved software allows PMT reconstructed images (C-scan images) to be saved as part of the data file, permitting us to view these images in association with the cytometric data long after the sample is gone.  Tissue section analysis is also far simpler on this improved instrument.

• Information about the iCys and LSC is here.
• Caspase activation and CTL-mediated cytolysis on the LSC.
• To see our photobleaching analysis of different fluorochromes on the LSC, go here.
• Go here to see our evaluation of the violet laser diode on the LSC.
• To learn about violet laser diodes on other flow cytometers, go here.
• We have installed a yellow HeNe laser on our LSC for analysis of Texas Red and Alexa Fluor 594 labeled samples.  Go here for more information.
•   Information about the old LSC2.

BD Biosciences LSR II.  BD's latest benchtop research flow cytometer has four lasers (solid state 488 nm, HeNe 633 nm, violet laser diode 408 nm and frequency-tripled Nd-YAG 355 nm), and a novel detector configuration for up to 10 color analysis.  The instrument is fully digital and uses the DiVa/DigiFACS software for data acquisition and analysis, as well as comprehensive software-based compensation.  All filters and dichroics are fully interchangeable, and many different lasers can be added for special analysis needs.

• Go here for a general description of the instrument, including optical bench layout.
• Go here for primary 488 nm laser information and fluorochrome detection.
• Violet laser diode 408 nm information and fluorochrome detection.
• HeNe 633 nm laser information and fluorochrome detection.
• Frequency-tripled Nd-YVO₄ 355 nm (UV) laser information.

• NEW!   Our BD LSR II can be equipped with blue (diode 440 nm), green (DPSS 532 nm), green-yellow (DPSS 561 nm) and yellow (HeNe 594 nm) lasers for the detection of a variety of fluorochromes. Laser-specific information can be found on our Projects page.

• Our evaluation of the original BD LSR (1998) is still here.

Becton-Dickinson FACSCalibur.  We have two BD FACSCaliburs, both equipped with red diode lasers for excitation of APC or Cy5 and four color analysis. One of our FACSCaliburs is also equipped with a Cytek 20 liter tank system with precision air pump, and a Cytek automated microplate sampler (AMS) system.  The second is similarly equipped with the BD version of the multiwell autosampler (MAS) and 20 liter tank system.

• For an introduction to the FACSCalibur, go here.
• For sample data with simultaneous analysis of PE-Cy5 and APC or Cy5, go here.
• To schedule analysis time on the FACSCalibur, go here.
• NEW!  One of our FACSCaliburs is equipped with a Cytek automated microplate sampler (AMS). Go here to learn more about this device.

NPE Systems Cell Analyzer.  We are a reference site for the NPE Systems cell analyzer, a flow cytometer that uses a Coulter chamber to accurately measure cell and nuclear volume, and a mercury arc lamp to provide UV excitation for high resolution DNA cell cycle analysis.  For more information on our evaluation of this system, click here.

Miltenyi Biotec AutoMACS.   The Core maintains an AutoMACS automated separation unit for positive and negative magnetic bead separations, particularly as a preliminary enrichment step prior to sorting.   We also have the manual magnetic units for MiniMACS and MidiMACS purifications available to core users.

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