Flow Cytometry Laboratory Frequently Asked Questions

What types of samples can be analyzed or sorted by flow cytometer/cell sorter?: All kinds of particles in single particle suspension status, including cells, bacteria, yeast, dissociated tissue samples. There’s a limit for the max size that can be resolved. Samples must be strained through 40 um cell strainer to prevent clogging the line.
What types of samples are prohibited?: All samples must be blood-borne pathogen-free or fixed to go in an analyzer. We can accept BL2 samples with a cell sorter. To run BL2 samples in a cell sorter, users must include flow lab to their BUA and share an approved BUA with the flow lab before making the first appointment.
How much does it cost to run flow cytometry/cell sorting experiment?: The rate of the instrument usage is published. The total budget will vary tremendously based on your experimental design and scale. If you need an estimate, please contact the flow lab.
Can flow lab provide a letter of support that I can include to my grant application?: Yes, please email the lab directly.
Can I prepare my samples in the flow lab? Can flow lab personnel prepare my sample for analysis?: No, we do not have a laboratory set up and cannot accommodate or perform sample preparation.
Can flow lab analyze my data?: We recommend users to take a primary role in data analysis as the flow lab member is not always an expert in your research field. If data analysis is too challenging for users, we can discuss about the involvement of the flow lab member. An hourly technician fee could be applied based on the collaboration level.
How do I schedule time for a cytometer/cell sorter?: The first-time user is asked to meet with the flow lab manager to discuss about their expectation. Once the experiment starts, users can email the lab manager to put their appointment on the calendar.
Which fluorophores should I use?: It depends on various factors.
Fluorophores should be excitable by lasers on the cytometer/sorter and the emission from that fluorophore must be covered by BP filters assigned to the excitation laser. The density of target antigen also matters if you are staining your protein of interest with a conjugated antibody.