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Caltech
Flow Cytometry
and Cell Sorting Facility
Home  /  Instrumentation

Facility Instrumentation

The Caltech Flow Cytometry Facility is equipped with three research-grade cell sorters capable of sorting 100 - 15000 events/second based on multiparameter analysis of cells characteristics (size, density, and fluorescence intensities of multiple colors). Additionally, two analyzers are available for self-service analysis after users have completed training provided by the facility.

A completed Biosafety Form must be submitted to cellsort@caltech.edu prior to any instrument usage.

BD Biosciences FACS Aria Fusion Cell Sorter (Church B120)

  • Compatible with BSL2+ conditions
  • Capable of 14 color analysis and sorting
  • Excitation wavelengths of 405 nm, 488 nm, 561, and 633 nm (PDF Configuration)
  • Sample deposition for sorting into a variety of plates and tubes including:
    • Culture plates (6, 12, 24, 48, or 96-well)
    • PCR plates
    • 4 way tube sorting into 5mL or 1.5mL tubes
    • 2-way sorting into 15mL tubes
  • Onboard software: DiVa
  • Available nozzle sizes: 70 µm, 85 µm, 100 µm
  • Cuvette system allows for better fluorescence sensitivity
  • Sorting droplet is dispensed at an angle for less precision into smaller welled plates
BD FACSAria Fusion

Sony SY3200 Cell Sorter (Kerckhoff B132)

  • Compatible with BSL2 conditions
  • Capable of 9 color analysis and sorting
  • Excitation wavelengths at 355 nm (UV), 407 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 633 nm (PDF Configuration)
  • Sample deposition for sorting into a variety of plates and tubes including:
    • Culture plates (6, 12, 24, 48, or 96-well)
    • PCR plates
    • 384-well plates
    • 60-well Terasaki plates
    • 4 way tube sorting into 5mL or 1.5mL tubes
    • 2-way sorting into 15mL tubes
  • Onboard software: WinList from Verity Software House
  • Available nozzle sizes: 70 µm, 100 µm
  • Jet-in-air system for better post-sort viability
  • Sorting droplet is dispensed straight down for more precision into smaller welled plates
Sony SY3200 Cell Sorter

Cytoflex SRT Cell Sorter (Kerckhoff B132)

  • Compatible with BSL2 conditions
  • Capable of 15 color analysis and sorting
  • Excitation wavelengths at 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 638nm (PDF Configuration)
  • Sample deposition for sorting into a variety of plates and tubes including:
    • Culture plates (6, 12, 24, 48, or 96-well)
    • PCR plates
    • 4 way tube sorting into 5mL or 1.5mL tubes
    • 2-way sorting into 15mL tubes
  • Onboard software: CytExpert
  • Available nozzle sizes: 100 µm
  • Cuvette system for better fluorescence sensitivity
  • Sorting droplet is dispensed at an angle for less precision into smaller welled plates
Cytoflex SRT cell sorter

Miltenyi Biotech MACSQuant VYB Flow Cytometer (Kerckhoff B138)

  • Compatible with BSL2 conditions
  • Capable of 8 color analysis
  • Excitation wavelengths at 405nm, 488nm, and 561nm (PDF Configuration)
  • Equipped with single-tube or 96-well sampler and chill blocks
  • Onboard software: MACSQuantify
  • Owned by the Elowitz lab but resides in the facility for shared use
Miltenyi VYB

Beckman Coulter Cytoflex Flow Cytometer (Church B120)

  • Compatible with BSL2 conditions
  • Capable of 13 color analysis
  • Excitation wavelengths at 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, and 638 nm (PDF Configuration)
  • Equipped with single-tube or 96-well sampler
  • Onboard software: CytExpert
Cytoflex S analyzer
Credit: Jamie Tijerina

Other Equipment

  • Pipettes
  • Sonicators
  • Vortex Mixers
  • Oven
  • Microcentrifuge
  • Beckman Coulter Allegra 6R Centrifuge
    • Equipped with buckets for plates, 15mL tubes, and 50mL tubes