Union Biometrica: Cytometer for Large Particles

Union Biometrica has introduced the Copas Large Particle Flow cytometers. These instruments can analyze, sort and dispense objects that are too large (20-1,500 micron) or too delicate for traditional flow cytometers.

Typical samples range from small multicellular model organisms (C.elegans, D.melanogaster, Zebrafish) to delicate large cells / cell clusters (adipocytes, embryoid bodies, pancreatic islets, duct cells, hepatocytes), to seeds (Arabidopsis) and beads (cells growing in or on beads, combi-chem libraries, bead based assays).

Samples are analyzed one by one in a continuously flowing stream and each object is analyzed and sorted based on size, optical density and up to three fluorescent parameters.

Examples of applications include rapid dispensing into micro-titer plates for assay preparation, population enrichment prior to further experiments, isolation of rare events, and the quantification of fluorescence levels of each object.