4-laser cell sorter

• Subject Area: Biological Chemistry and Food Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 515275293

In the FCiT, several life science and biomedical oriented scientific devices in different categories will be brought together and jointly operated. The devices serve in particular the interface between basic research and pre-clinical research. The 4-laser cell sorter is for the complementation of several technology platforms involved in the FCiT (Quantitative proteomics, Cellular & phenotypical screening, Genomics & single cell, Human 3D (chip) tissues) and for the support of individual projects at the Riedberg Campus. The scope of the cell sorter includes use in CRISPR/Cas screens, tissue cell sorting, subpopulation enrichment (e.g., during stable cell line generation), and cell characterization (FACS analyses). The instrument is equipped with 4 lasers (405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 638nm) and 6 fluorescence detectors. The lasers are collinear and can be assigned to any of the 6 fluorescence PMTs. The installed filter set allows detection of standard fluorophores and overall simultaneous detection of 6 fluorescence and two scatter parameters. Based on the detected parameters, the device allows 2-way sorting, including single-cell sorting in microplates (6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, 96- and 384-well) with index sorting. As a special feature compared to other droplet sorters, the device has a microfluidic chip design (sorting chips available in 70µm, 100µm and 170µm sizes) and the possibility to easily exchange both the microfluidic sorting chips as well as the entire sample tubing by the user. This minimizes possible contamination and allows both multiuser operation as well as optimal sorting of cells of different sizes and organisms on the same instrument (e.g. bacteria, yeasts and mammalian cells).

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: 4-Laser Zellsortiergerät
• Instrumentation Group: 3500 Zellzähl- und Klassiergeräte (außer Blutanalyse), Koloniezähler
• Applicant Institution: Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
• Leader: Dr. Alexandra Stolz