History and Applications of Flow Cytometry
Flow cytometry was born out of impedance technology; in 1953, a patent was issued to American Wallace H. Coulter for a cell counter based on the 'Coulter Principle'. This device was the forerunner to modern impedance cell analysers, flow cytometry and cell-sorting devices.
Today, flow cytometry is one of the most ubiquitous tools in bioscience. It has applications in molecular biology, immunology, plant and marine biology, medicine (particularly haematology and pathology), protein engineering and cell biology research, among others.
Here at Cellix, we have over a decade of experience in impedance, microfluidics and advanced electronics research and development. Our recent R&D advances led to the development of the Inish Analyser - bringing impedance-based flow cytometry to the cutting edge of cell-based analysis.
Cell Sorting
The Inish Analyser can analyse and sort cells based on various factors, such as size, morphology, cell cytoplasm conductivity, organelle impedance, cellular DNA content, and cell membrane integrity.
The Inish Analyser can also differentiate membranes based on health - intact membranes, damaged membranes, dead cells and, in a first-in-field innovation, is capable of differentiating cells with open membrane.
Quantification of Membrane Health
Biological membranes have varied roles, and understanding them is integral to our understanding of the cell.
The gradient of ions across membranes allows for energy generation, the most essential of all life processes. In addition, membranes control cell-cell communication via chemical and electrical signals, and allow separation between from the environment. Membrane health is required for normal cellular homeostasis, and membrane repair is essential is for cell survival - in fact, defective membrane repair can contribute to the pathology of diseases such as muscular dystrophy.
Uniquely, the Inish Analyser can separate populations into live-dead-open membrane-damaged membrane subsets. This allows quantification of cell health in unprecedented detail, and separation based on this - all in a label-free manner so as to preserve cell normal function.
This technology has profound implications for basic and applied cell biology research. For example, this open-membrane quantification is ideal for transfection experiments - understand precisely the effect of any electroporation processes on the cell membrane, and streamline your experiment optimisation!
Applications of the Inish Analyser
The Inish Analyser is an impedance-based cell analysis and cell counting tool with a range of applications... Even better, we are willing to customise the technology for your use; for an applied example of the Inish Analyser technology, see our innovative Inish MiniBar.
From quantifying cells suitable for transfection to counting nanoplankton; our latest developments in label-free impedance flow-cytometry may be of use to you.
Curious?