561 nm Laser Option Introduced for New Gallios Flow Cytometers at CYTO 2012

A 561 nm laser option, available for new 561 nm-laser ready Gallios flow cytometers from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, will be on view at CYTO 2012, June 23-27 in booth 319 at the Congress Center in Leipzig, Germany. The 561 nm laser option provides researchers with the ability to analyze a greater range of fluorescent proteins and to more efficiently excite PE/PE tandems. Optimal excitation is offered for red fluorescent proteins such as mCherry and DsRed, which are being increasingly used in research labs.

Yellow-green excitation provided at 561 nm produces less autofluorescence in cells, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio for PE and DsRed detection. Since 561 nm excitation is well separated from fluorescein and GFP emission, there is virtually no crossover contamination in the green detection channel, allowing simultaneous fluorescein, or GFP detection, without blocking optics.

The new laser is externally coupled through an optical fiber and can be field installed on new Gallios 561 nm-laser ready analyzers. The 561 nm laser will be passed to the flow cell collinearly with the 488 nm laser during acquisition.

Available configurations for the Beckman Coulter Life Sciences’ Gallios flow cytometers are: 6 colour/2 laser, 8 colour/2 laser, 10 colour/3 laser and 10 colour/4 laser – the last configuration reflecting the 561 nm option. Six fluorescence detectors provide simultaneous acquisition of up to six fluorescence signals. Concurrent measurements of integral, peak and width are available for all parameters, including scatter and fluorescence signals.

“Expanding the colour options on the Gallios cytometer will extend the applications of the instrument for research scientists,” said Mario Koksch, director of project management and strategy at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences. “Researchers will be able to further refine their studies using the full capabilities of the cytometer.”

Gallios cytometers feature an innovative forward-scatter detector that provides up to three measurements of cell size and visualization of particles down to 0.404 µm in diameter. A side-scatter detector incorporates an independently focused, high-performance photodiode with electronic attenuation. A selection of up to 62 parameters can be processed per analysis, at acquisition rates of 25,000 events-per-second, with high yield. Easily interchanged optical filters facilitate detection of a variety of dyes and wavelengths.