We are excited to release our latest software update with new Cyto-Mine functionalities!

The Cyto-Mine^® Studio Suite contains a collection of software to allow Cyto-Mine^® operation and data acquisition. The release of this updated version of the Cyto-Mine^® Studio Suite brings with it a collection of improvements and new functionalities to further enhance your Cyto-Mine^® workflow.

Image credit: Sphere Fluidics

We have highlighted some of the new functionalities and their benefits below.

Pooled picodroplet dispensing

What is it?

Pooled Picodroplet Dispensing allows user to dispense all of the sorted picodroplets (containing selected cells of interest) into one well of a microtiter plate.

What’s the benefit?

Pooled Picodroplet Dispensing enables the dispensing of the whole sorted population (containing selected cells of interest) which is beneficial when you need a little more sample for further downstream analysis, or you would like to collect the vast majority the ‘hits’.

What’s the application?

Screening of an entire B cell population in Antibody Discovery.

The picodroplet technology of Cyto-Mine^® enables the screening of millions of B cells by the encapsulation of multiple cells per picodroplet. The cells are then assayed to find antibody-secreting cells using an IgG detection assay. Pooled Picodroplet Dispensing provides the function to be able to dispense all picodroplets containing antibody-secreting cells into one well of a microtiter plate. The cells can then be released from the picodroplets and cultured overnight ready for a second round of screening on day 2 using an antigen-specific assay to detect the rare B cells of interest.

Pooled Picodroplet Dispensing allows the processing of tens of millions of cells to a small population of one or more single hit cells within 2 days.

Image credit: Sphere Fluidics

Barcode scanning

What is it?

Another great feature for our users, the incorporation of barcode scanning provides tracking of picodroplets and Cyto-Mine^® experiments. All data from detected, sorted and dispensed picodroplets is saved in the local Cyto-Mine^® database along with experiment configuration parameters and assay results, allowing centralized archiving of experimental data and improved performance of the enhanced data analysis software.

What’s the benefit?

The addition of the barcode scanner improves traceability of experiments as dispensed picodroplets are associated with their destination plate when the barcode is scanned.

Automation from priming to flow

What is it?

All Cyto-Mine^® assays are now automatically progressed from the Cyto-Cartridge^® Priming step to the end of Incubation. Consequently, no user interaction is required during the entire Cyto-Cartridge^® Priming, Picodroplet Generation and Incubation workflow.

What’s the benefit?

The automation of these stages removes the requirement for any user interaction resulting in a more streamlined, hands-off workflow.

Variable picodroplet generation

What is it?

During Pre-Experiment Configuration the quantity of picodroplets generated in an experiment can be selected from three options of 1 million, 1.5 million or 2 million picodroplets. 1.5 million picodroplets remains the default picodroplet generation value.

What’s the benefit?

The ability to alter the number of picodroplets generated offers users with rare precious samples the option to generate a smaller number of picodroplets or, if you have excess sample, the opportunity to increase the number of picodroplets generated to minimize the amount of unused cell sample.