Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting
Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS™) is a development of flow cytometry that enables sorting of a mixture of cells into two or more fractions, cell-by-cell, utilising the scatter and fluorescence signals of each cell.
The cell suspension is focused in a narrow, rapidly flowing liquid stream. Vibration causes the stream containing the cells to break into individual droplets and just before this the stream passes one or more laser beams allowing the fluorescence pattern of each cell to be determined.
The stream is then charged where it breaks into droplets according to characteristics chosen from the previous fluorescence analysis. The charged droplets then fall through an array of electrostatic deflectors that divert droplets into test tubes or wells based upon their charge.
FACS™ is a trademark of Becton Dickinson & Company.
Uniquely, the far‐red viability probe DRAQ7™ can be used to label and “dump” unwanted damaged or dead cells without risk of side effects on the intact cells.
The cell‐permeant, stoichiometric DNA probe DRAQ5™ gives nuclear DNA content that allows sorting of cells according to cell cycle position for downstream PCR or RT- PCR analysis.
Related BioStatus Products for FACS™
DRAQ5™ in FACS™
Direct cell cycle analysis for downstream (RT-)PCR analysis.
DRAQ7™ in FACS™
APOPTRAK™ in Flow Cytometry
Differential labelling of intact, healthy and membrane‐compromised, apoptotic cells