Inish Analyser Data Transfer Protocol

Introduction

If you work with cells, you probably spend hours in the lab counting them.

As much as researchers love bench work, it can be handy to automate certain processes, especially when it comes to larger laboratories with high throughputs.

To solve this problem Cellix has recently released the Inish Analyser. It is a simple, automated and easy to use instrument for cell counting and viability. In this article, we will look at the data export protocol for the Inish Analyser.We will look at the export protocol for the Inish Analyser and look at the different file formats you can export, and how to export those files to an external USB.

Automated Cell Counting

As the name says, automated cell counters like the Inish Analyser are devices that can count cells automatically. It is a pretty straightforward process - you load your sample into the cell counter, which aspirates or pumps your cell sample through a small tube. These devices typically use optical or electrical impedance sensors or image-based analysis to count how many cells go through the tube.

The main features and benefits of the Inish Analyser include:

Label-free: No fluorescent stains or dyes.
Single-cell Analysis: Every cell is counted!
High-throughput: Analyse thousands of cells per second.
Compatible with a wide variety of cell samples: cell lines (e.g. Jurkats, CHO cells etc.), primary cells (e.g. PBMCs), stem cells, yeast cells, sperm cells.
Fast Set-up & Analysis: 90 seconds including sample preparation.
Easy-to-use Bench top Instrument: fits inside standard biosafety cabinet and operated by simple touchscreen workflow.
Compatible with FCS & CSV file format: easily exportable.

This method offers reliable cell counting with high precision and throughput.

Cellix's Inish Analyser uses impedance spectroscopy, a method based on differences in the electrical impedance between the cell and a buffer. It has a distinct advantage over other aforementioned methods – it’s label free! What does that mean? It means no fluorescent dyes or labels to stain or tag the cells for detection.

How does it work?

Cells flow through a microfluidic channel with embedded electrodes which form a current path. As the cells flow past the electrodes, they disturb the electric field resulting in a change in impedance. In this method, impedance measurements can be made at wide range of frequencies, providing information on cell size, membrane capacitance, and cytoplasm conductivity, along with cell concentration. The Inish Analyser is rated for cell concentrations between 50,000 - 2,000,000 cells/mL.

Data Export Protocol for Inish Analyser

There are two types of files you can export: CSV and FCS

CSV is a standard data format for tables.
FCS, or flow cytometry standard, is a useful file format for reading and writing flow cytometry data.
You can export your data to an external USB drive or to the local drive on the Inish analyser, which is useful if you don’t have a USB drive on hand or if your organisation doesn’t allow the use of USB drives.

How to export to a USB drive:

Insert your USB drive into the right hand side of the Inish Analyser. Once you’ve run an assay, you can select either CSV or FCS file format. This will export the file immediately.
Once the export is done, navigate to the “new assay” screen, and select “eject flash”. Now you can safely remove the USB drive.

To export data to the local drive on the Inish analyser, you can export to a CSV or FCS file as before, and you’ll get a prompt asking if you want to store the file on the local drive.

The local files can later be accessed by connecting the Inish analyser to a network via an Ethernet cable, and transferring the files through an FTP.

The Inish Analyser gives results you can trust, empowering your research.

When choosing your cell analyser, consider your lab's needs. Is it a large laboratory with future expansion plans? If this is the case, investing in an automatic cell analyser can be highly beneficial.

If you'd like to learn more about Cellix's Inish Analyser, contact Cellix to book an online demo or request a quote.