Sample Preparation for ImageStream

Sample Properties

Cells are recommended to be suspended into 1 x PBS with no more than 2% FBS at the concentration of 1 million/50µL.  Minimum volume of each sample is 20µL (50µL if using a 96 well plate).

Samples must be a single-cell suspension. If the user experiences the significant sample clumping, cells need to be filtered through 80µm (or less) Nylon mesh (Small Parts, Inc. cat# CMN-0074).  Suitable mesh is provided at the ImageStream desk.

For manual acquisition, the sample must be in a 1.5-2 mL microcentrifuge tube (siliconized, e.g. Sigma, cat# T4816).  For the auto-sampler, the samples must be in a 96-well plate (e.g. Corning, cat#3790).  The wells can have round, flat, or pointed bottoms. A pierceable cover (e.g. X-Pierce, cat# XP-100) is recommended for the plate. 

 

Safety Concerns

No radioactive materials are allowed in the facility.

Samples containing known biohazard or infectious agents which are BSL2/BSL2+ MUST be fixed in a 0.5-2% paraformaldehyde solution for at least 30 minutes before acquisition.  If a user has to run a potentially bio-hazardous specimen without fixation, such as unfixed human, non-human primate cells, or virally-transduced or infected cells, please discuss your specific experimental situation with Unified Flow Core personnel to work out an appropriate safety protocol consistent with EH&S guidelines, IN ADVANCE.