Re: viability issue on the Moflo cell sorter

Almost everybody agrees that the medium in the collection tube is a critical
factor for cell viability at cell sorting. My experience is that those cells
never mix with the medium. The drops we sort are so tiny and light that they
just build a layer on top of the media but do not mix unless you shake the tube
(the we do after the sort is done). So when a sort lasts hours the cells simply
are being kept in sheath fluid. To mix them with the medium during the sort in
progress may be a useful feature on cell sorters. Alternative solution is to
stop the sort periodically and swirl the collection tube.

Akos

Akos Szilvasi
Biogen
Cambridge, MA