Novel cytometers cross the bridge to commercialisation
Crucial for elucidating cellular diversity and heterogeneity, single-cell analysis has a wealth of applications in numerous fields running the gamut from medicine and environmental science to dairy and greenhouse analytics. The need to perform fast, cost-effective and reliable cell analysis led to development of the first prototype impedance flow cytometry device within the DIMID project. Expanding on the success of the predecessor project, the DIMIDPLUS (Commercialization of an innovative microfluidic impedance-based device for multi-parametric cell analysis) consortium aimed to commercialise this device through performance verification, further tests to increase reliability, and conformity and product packaging checks. The heart of the newly developed cytometers consists of a microfluidic chip measuring changes of the electrical impedance of a fluidic medium when cells pass through the applied electric field. The first developed device was a small and low-cost haematology analyser targeting point-of-care testing applications. These can include emergency rooms, air and ground ambulances, remote medical centres or satellite hospitals, and doctors' offices. One project partner presented a low-cost, easy-to-use cytometry device that can be used for both bacterial and somatic cell counting to measure the quality of milk. So far, there has been no solution on the market for simultaneously counting bacterial and somatic cells. This advanced device can replace current analytical instruments that are typically too complex and expensive. Currently, the only alternative to determine pollen viability is either using expensive fluorescent dyes and manual cell counting methods with microscopes or performing germination assays, which take a lot of time. The new-generation impedance flow cytometer for pollen analysis is a powerful tool to optimise the plant breeding and seed production processes. It can be used on site – directly in the field or in the greenhouse. The electronic component of the cytometry device – a digital lock-in amplifier – sets a new standard for measurements in the medium- and low-frequency ranges. The embedded data and web servers allow straightforward connection to any device running a web browser. Project partners also unveiled new software called DimidSoft. This tool is designed to analyse and represent different event data formats acquired from several devices such as impedance cytometer, impedance spectroscope or lock-in amplifier. DIMIDPLUS bridged the gap between research and commercial application by bringing these new cytometry devices to the market. It provided solutions for different kinds of cell analysis, suitable for applications where high-quality cell analyses and ease of use are major requirements.
Keywords
Cytometry devices, cell analysis, microfluidic, pollen analysis
