Explore recommended methods for optimizing nuclei counts before downstream sequencing applications, including the CellDrop Automated Cell Counter.
CellDrop™ Automated Cell Counters
Count Cells Without Slides™
CellDrop Automated Cell Counters feature patented DirectPipette™ technology to eliminate plastic slides and cumbersome hemocytometers from routine cell counting. CellDrop Cell Counters feature dual fluorescence and brightfield optics, variable height sample chamber, and powerful, easy-to-use analysis software. The instruments enable the fastest cell counts, viability assessment, and GFP transfection efficiency measurements across the widest range of cell density, cell type and application. CellDrop is rated five stars by scientists world-wide and was awarded Best New Life Science Product of the Year!
DirectPipette™ Technology
The CellDrop Automated Cell Counter Series brings the familiar Load, Measure & Wipe Clean functionality of microvolume spectrophotometers to cell counting. Traditional plastic slides or glass hemocytometers are replaced by two permanent optical sapphire surfaces. These are positioned parallel to one another by a calibration-free, high-precision mechanism, forming a chamber of precisely defined height. 10µL of cell suspension is pipetted into the chamber, analyzed and simply wiped away with a dry laboratory wipe. The powerful live-view image allows instant verification that cleaning has been successful.
Discover the best practices for the CellDrop Automated Cell Counters here.
Reducing Plastic Waste in Cell Counting
The CellDrop improves efficiency and sustainability in cell counting by removing the need for plastic slides. Scientists around the world have prevented millions of plastic slides from being disposed of by counting cells without slides. Watch the video below to see how much plastic waste has been reduced!
Accurate Across the Widest Range of Cell Size and Density
Using conventional counting methods, samples with high or low cell densities require time consuming dilution or concentration steps. The variable height chamber of the CellDrop Automated Cell Counters enables the most accurate counts over the widest cell densities – 7 x 102 – 2.5 x 107. Chamber height can also be adjusted to accommodate almost any cell with a diameter range of 4 to 400µm.
Easy to Learn. Powerful to Use.
Designed by life scientists, the CellDrop EasyApps™ software exceeds the functionality of high cost cell counters while also delivering the ease-of-use of simpler systems. EasyApps and the high definition, 7″ touchscreen interface provides intuitive cell counting, from sample loading to data exporting in seconds. Pre-installed applications include a range of common applications for one-touch analysis of assays such as Brightfield, Trypan blue, AO/PI, GFP, Nuclei and Yeast and the ability to create custom methods. CellDrop Cell Counters are a flexible workhorse for the busy, multi-user lab.
21 CFR Part 11 Compliance Ready
EasyApps Secure provides an optional suite of software controls that allow regulated GxP facilities to easily add CellDrop to their cell counting workflow (view the compliance statement). The software is fully integrated within the on-board operating system and includes a range of features essential to ensuring compliance, including:
- Password protected system access
- Integrated electronic signature controls
- Comprehensive user account management
- Secure audit trail recording
- Advanced data handling and export tools
Software Features
Optimized Measurement Apps
DeNovix CellDrop Series instruments are stand-alone systems equipped with intuitive, easy-to-use apps for automatic cell counting and viability analysis.
Brightfield
- Fast count of Brightfield cell image
- Live/dead assessment using Trypan Blue assay
- Cells/mL, cell size and % viability reported
- Nuclei conc. and extraction efficiency using Trypan Blue assay
Fluorescence
- Cell viability analysis using acridine orange (AO) and propidium iodide (PI)
- Analyze primary cells in the presence of debris
- AO for identification of nucleated cells
- PI for cell viability
- AO/PI for live/dead
- Yeast viability
- GFP Transfection Efficiency
- Nuclei conc. and extraction efficiency using AO/PI assay
- Six intuitive results analysis formats
Cell Size Gating
Cell Size Histograms allow easy gating for non-target cells or cell debris. Simply drag the slider to set the cell size of interest and view the results in real time. Results are instantly re-calculated excluding all debris or cells that fall outside of the defined size range
GFP Intensity Gating
When using the dedicated GFP Count App, users can gate cells by fluorescence intensity as well as size. The intensity histogram displays the number of cells counted at each GFP intensity level allowing the exclusion of non-GFP expressing cells or low expressing cells to be excluded from analysis.
Advanced Declustering Algorithms
Ideally, samples will contain only single cells, but clusters are commonplace with some cell types or at higher cell density. All EasyApps Count Apps use proprietary declustering algorithms developed by DeNovix. Complex samples of regular or irregular cells over a wide range of cell density can be rapidly and accurately analyzed using CellDrop.
Analysis of cluster size and frequency can be performed and graphically displayed.
Primary Cell Counting
Primary cell samples are challenging to quantify for traditional cell counting methods. EasyApps makes the analysis simple and accurate with two optimzed Count Apps for fluorescence and brightfield measurement of primary cell samples.
Using the dual fluorescence capabilities of the CellDrop FL, debris and anucleate cells are excluded from analysis while viability of the nucleated cells is analyzed.
Results
EasyApps automatically calculates a wide range of application-specific metrics for each cell sample. Data is clearly displayed on-screen and auto-saved to a large onboard hard drive. Metrics include:
Dilution Calculator
Define a target cell number or density and culture volume and the dilution calculator will automatically calculate dilution volumes of cell culture and buffer based on each cell count. Dilution guidance is displayed prominently on-screen and printed reports for convenient sample processing.
Graphical Data Display
A wide range of graph types are available to gain additional sample insight. Overlay multiple samples from the same session or from the data archive for powerful data visualization.
Exporting
Simply and securely connect CellDrop to your network by Wi-Fi or Ethernet to enable data exporting by email, or print reports to network or label printers. Each measurement is automatically saved to a large onboard memory enabling storage and retrieval of thousands of samples.
Models
CellDrop is available in Dual Fluorescence and Brightfield (CellDrop FL) or Brightfield (CellDrop BF) models, each with the option of Unlimited Counts or Pay-As-You-Go.
| Part Number | Description |
|---|---|
| CellDrop FL-UNLTD | 2 Channel Fluorescence Cell Counter with Unlimited Counts |
| CellDrop FL-PAYG | 2 Channel Fluorescence Cell Counter- Pay-As-You-Go |
| CellDrop BF-UNLTD | Brightfield Cell Counter with Unlimited Counts |
| CellDrop BF-PAYG | Brightfield Cell Counter- Pay-As-You-Go |
Purchase Options
DeNovix offers customers the ability to choose between two purchase options that best meet their needs. The two options are the Unlimited (UNLTD) and the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG). Below are the details for each option.
Unlimited (UNLTD)
- Customer pays an upfront price and instrument is “unlocked”
- Unlimited number of measurements can be made at no additional cost
Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG)
- Unlike other cell counters on the market, the CellDrop does not require a disposable slide to operate
- Customer pays a lower upfront price and then purchases a Count Code to enable a defined number of measurements
- The hardware price and the count price for the PAYG option is similar to other cell counters on the market
- Counts are purchased from DeNovix (or its distributors) and entered as a 20-digit code into the instrument software
- Each code is instrument-specific
- PAYG instruments can be upgraded to UNLTD at any time; 50% of the count codes purchased will count as credit towards the upgrade price
- Count codes can be applied to a single user account or shared across specified user accounts
- This option is the ideal solution for labs with smaller capital budgets or lower sample throughput looking to acquire high performance and flexible instrumentation
- The number of measurements remaining can be viewed at any time in the Count Code App; users are also alerted when the counts remaining drops below a user-settable threshold
Specifications
| Dynamic Range | 7 x 102 – 2.5 x 107 cells/ml |
| Cell Size Range | 4 – 400 µm |
| Sample Volume | 5.0 µL @50 µm chamber height 10 µL @100 µm chamber height (standard) 40 µL @400 µm chamber height |
| Measurement Speed | Brightfield- 3 seconds @1 x 106 cell/mL Dual Fluorescence- 8.5 seconds @1 x 106 cell/mL |
| Optical Modes | CellDrop FL – Dual Fluorescence, Single Fluorescence, Brightfield, Fluorescence + Brightfield CellDrop BF – Brightfield only |
| Sample Surfaces | Optical Sapphire |
| Brightfield Illumination | LED 530 nm |
| Fluorescence Illumination | LED 470 nm |
| Emission Filters | 530 nm +/- 25 nm 645nm +/- 37 nm |
| Gesture Recognition | Multipoint touch, swipe, pinch |
| Display | 7” high definition color display |
| Glove Compatibility | All common laboratory gloves |
| Images | 2048 x 1536 px with overlay capabilities |
| Focus | Autofocus, or user-controlled onscreen coarse and fine adjustment |
| Detector | CellDrop FL – Sony IMX265 CellDrop BF – ON Semiconductor MT9P031 |
| Connectivity | WiFi, Ethernet, HDMi, USB |
| Footprint (LxWxH) | 37 x 21 x 18 cm |
| Weight | 4.4 Kg |
| Operating Voltage | 12 VDC |
| Approvals | UL/CSA, CE, FCC, Japan CAB |
| Manufacturer Location | USA |
| Warranty | 2 Years |
| Colors | Arctic White |
| Internal Storage | 120 GB solid state drive – upgradable to 1 TB |
| Accessories | Barcode reader, keyboard, mouse, 20 µL pipette |
| Patents | View patents |
As nuclear transcriptomes mirror cell cytosolic profiles, nuclei isolated from brain tissue samples is a valuable tool for characterizing different brain cell types.
Register for this webinar (Sept 20th) to learn tips for nuclei extraction and counting, featuring live demos on the CellDrop Automated Cell Counter.
