Hi Denise,
I very highly recommend FlowJo! In our lab we perform
polychromatic flow cytometry routinely: our samples can be stained with up
to 9 different fluorochromes, and we have multiple samples with different
markers which have to be analyzed in each experiment. We have tried several
software packages, and when we found FlowJo we stopped searching. Actually,
now we use FlowJo even for samples stained with 'only' 3 colours, which we
acquire on the FACScan.
The way FlowJo works is slightly different from other flow-cytometry data
analysis software: basically in FlowJo you create "workspaces" where you
store all the information concerning your experiment: samples, gates,
annotations, statistics, compensation matrices, all your graphs, and
anything else you need for your data analysis. Once you set up the
workspace, data analysis is very fast. A workspace can actually be used as
a 'template' for batch analysis of any subsequent experiment (this makes
life so much easier!!).
The data with any statistic you can possibly wish for can be
transferred to Excel with a few clicks of the mouse: basically you choose
the statistics you're interested in, and FlowJo will create a spreadsheet
for you with all the calculated statistics from the samples you have
selected. The spreadsheet can then be easily exported to Excel or to
another application.
If you are staining with multiple markers, FlowJo will perform
compensation correctly, no matter what the number of your fluorochromes is
(it is virtually impossible to set compensation correctly with the
'eye-meter' when your samples have been stained for multiple markers).
The one and only criticism is that you need a Mac to run it. But
after starting to use it we decided it was actually worth to buy a new Mac,
which is now devoted only to data analysis with FlowJo (so we don't have to
fight over the Mac connected to the FACS...).
It doesn't take too long to learn - of course, you have to make a
time investment, but it will really pay off. The Help files are helpful
indeed - it took us a couple of days, and that was it. You can try it for a
couple of months by downloading the software and getting a free serial
number. Go for it.
I will be glad to show you some of the data we have produced
(FlowJo even creates movies!!) if you are interested.
Good luck!
Giovanna
(a FlowJo enthusiast)
>> Hi:
>>
>> I wanted some feedback on the FLOW Jo application. I
>>currently do all of my analysis with CellQuest. I am wondering if FLOW Jo
>>may expedite my analysis. However, I do not use the same markers all the
>>time, and in one experiment I may be running more than one stain with
>>multiple different antibodies. Basically, very seldom do I run the same set
>>of markers. How does FLOW Jo work for such conditions?? How about plot
>>analysis and excel: apparently Excell FLOW Jo puts the data directly into
>>EXcell?? What has been your experience with FLOW Jo?? Any information would
>>be useful.
>>
>> denise
------------------------------------------------
Giovanna Borsellino, M.D., Ph.D.
Neuroimmunology
IRCCS Santa Lucia
Via Ardeatina 354
00179 Roma
Italy
Tel. ++39.06.51501521 (office)
++39.06.51501552 (lab)
Fax ++39.06.51501553
e-mail: g.borsellino@hsantalucia.it
gborsel@tin.it
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