Researchers from the North East Stem Cell Institute have presented data at the ISAC2008 congress on Biostatus's nucleic acid-binding dye, Cytrak Orange.
The data describes Cytrak Orange's utility in flow cytometry applications.
The researchers said Cytrak Orange allows them to report more accurate phenotype percentages by using the dye as a DNA-enabled gate excluding any debris from analysis.
This offers an alternative to CD45 gating, particularly where cells of interest are CD45 negative, demonstrated with circulating epithelial cells seeded into blood.
In addition, the dye avoids the need for RBC lysis of a whole blood sample, which can destroy antigens under investigation or lead to unwanted lysis.
The researchers showed further examples with human peripheral blood, mouse bone marrow and mouse embryonic stem cells.
The spectral profile of Cytrak Orange (Exmax 510nm/Emmax 610nm) permits convenient co-excitation with FITC and PE-Cy7 with the blue argon-ion laser line while it is not excited by the 633nm line or above.
Live (or fixed) nucleated cells are stained with Cytrak Orange in a few minutes and permit a convenient no-lyse, no-wash procedure immediately prior to analysis.
