Design functioned well during reduced gravity experiments and produced data comparable to ground based control experiments, enabling diagnosis of astronaut illness during long-duration spaceflight
A research journal article written by scientists at Wyle Laboratories and Nasa's Johnson Space Center, both in Houston, USA, and published in Cytometry Part B (Clinical Cytometry), describes how Guava Technologies's novel flow cytometric technology offers the potential for spaceflight-compatible readings.
A spaceflight compatible flow cytometer would be very beneficial for the diagnosis of astronaut illness during long-duration spaceflight and for conducting in-flight research to evaluate the effects of weightlessness on human physiology.
Until recently, standard flow cytometers had many limitations that prevented their use in spaceflight or zero gravity environments.
The authors describe how the novel Guava cytometer functioned well during reduced gravity experiments and produced data comparable to ground based control experiments.
The reduced gravity immunophenotype data reported was indistinguishable from ground control data and reference cytometric data.
Bead based instrument precision (coefficient of variation) during reduced gravity operation was within acceptable limits so as not to effect most common flow cytometric applications.
Data also validates the ability of the Guava cytometer to perform absolute cell counts in reduced gravity.
The flow cytometer technology developed by Guava, and used in its current generation of laboratory cellular analysis systems, uses a novel flow cell design to create single-particle laser scanning and evaluation without the need for sheath fluid-based hydrodynamic focusing.
The authors confirm that the Guava cytometer offers many advantages for spaceflight use - it is highly miniaturised and lightweight, uses a low-energy diode laser, has a small number of moving parts, does not use sheath fluid, and does not generate significant liquid waste.
The study offers the first generation of real-time flow cytometry data during zero gravity.
Guava Technologies is a provider of integrated, fully optimised microcytometry and cell counting systems.
Guava serves the worldwide life science, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, offering a state-of-the-art, comprehensive portfolio of products designed to accelerate discovery and increase productivity with accessible, easy-to-use solutions to the biologist's testing problems available right at the lab bench.
Guava's products have broad applications in scientific research, drug discovery, cell counting, and optimisation of commercial bioproduction.
Guava's technology also offers potential for use in clinical testing and blood processing, as well as other areas where single cell counting is important.
