Mass Cytometer.

Descriptions

The Francis Crick Institute requires a high-end Mass Cytometer that incorporates the very latest technologies available in the field, to overcome the limitations posed by traditional flow cytometry (limited number of analytes and ability to resolve tagged antibodies with overlapping fluorophores). Mass cytometry is a relatively new technology that overcomes these limitations by using lanthanide-labeled antibodies to tag cells that are then measured using a mass ctytometer (also termed CyTOF). The outcome is an improved signal-to-noise ratio and little overlap of signal, enabling cells to be labeled with far greater numbers of different antibodies than conventional flow cytometry, with over 100 detection channels being feasible. The resulting multiparametric data then allows researchers to identify not only complex protein marker combinations but also pathway activation states in normal and diseased biological systems.