Scientists at the Cancer Research UK flow cytometry laboratory in London are taking full advantage of the department's new six-colour UV-laser-based benchtop flow cytometer
Cancer Research UK's new flow cytometer is a BD LSR system from BD Biosciences.
Its powerful UV capability means that researchers are able to use it for cell analysis work where they would previously have used the laboratory's high performance cell sorters.
And because the BD LSR is so easy to operate, researchers can use the system themselves and do not need to call on the expertise of the flow cytometry laboratory's four dedicated staff.
Derek Davies, resource service manager for the flow cytometry laboratory, explained: "We use the BD LSR System for simple one, two, and three colour phenotyping and, thanks to its UV capability, also for the more specialised applications of viable DNA analysis and calcium flux.
The ability to simultaneously measure six fluorochromes is also a great feature for some of our 'power' users!" "Our method for viable DNA analysis uses Hoechst 33342 and is particularly good for finding out how a transfected gene with GFP is behaving in relation to the cell cycle.
Hoechst 33342 does not require fixation with ethanol, which in most cases ablutes GFP fluorescence, but it does requires a UV laser - hence the advantage of the BD LSR system.
Similarly, the best way to measure calcium flux by flow cytometry is to use a UV-excitable dye, Indo-1." "The system also has potential for a hot topic in cytometry at the moment - the identification and enumeration of stem cells.
A new technique of looking for the so-called 'side population' uses Hoechst 33342 and so will be possible on the BD LSR with some modification.
I am currently working with the BD Biosciences development team in Belgium on this project and look forward to the results."
