The MA900 from Sony Biotechnology is a powerful cell sorter designed to meet the demands of a wide range of research applications. With the ability to support 12 fluorescence parameters and facilitate 4-way sorting, the MA900 combines cutting-edge technology with intuitive design to streamline the cell sorting process. This system integrates modern advancements, such as a patented microfluidic chip, comprehensive fluidic controls, and advanced automation, to enhance the reliability and ease of use of cell sorting, making it less subjective and more consistent.

Flexibility with Up to 14 Parameters from 4 Lasers

One of the standout features of the MA900 is its ability to detect up to 14 parameters, offering researchers significant flexibility in experimental design. The system is equipped with four excitation lasers—488 nm, 405 nm, 561 nm, and 638 nm—arranged across two beam spots. This setup allows for the detection of up to 12 fluorescence parameters and two scatter parameters, enabling a comprehensive analysis of cell populations. The use of free-form PMTs (photomultiplier tubes) ensures that fluorescence signals from each beam spot are accurately detected, providing researchers with detailed and reliable data.

Automation Across the Workflow

The MA900 excels in automation, offering a streamlined workflow that minimizes the need for manual intervention. Key processes such as startup, aseptic cleaning, quality control (QC), and sort setup are all managed with the touch of a button, ensuring optimal daily alignment of the microfluidic chip to the lasers. This high level of automation not only simplifies the operation but also improves the consistency of results, as the system automatically handles precise targeting and quick recovery from clogs. The inclusion of wizard-based cleaning cycles further enhances ease of use, allowing users to customize maintenance routines for aseptic sorting.

User-Friendly Software for Seamless Operation

The software that drives the MA900 is designed with user experience in mind. It guides operators through every step of the sorting process, from system startup to data analysis, making it easy to learn and use. Advanced controls within the software enable customization, allowing researchers to focus on the biological aspects of their experiments rather than the intricacies of the cytometer. At startup, the software initiates connections between all subsystems and runs diagnostics to ensure everything is functioning correctly. Once verified, the system displays a green ready message on the LCD monitor, indicating that it is prepared for operation.

Automated Chip Loading and Positioning

Setting up the MA900 is a straightforward process, thanks to its automated chip loading and positioning features. With a single touch, the microfluidic flow cell chip is installed, and the setup wizard guides users through the selection of lasers and optical filters. The system’s actuators precisely position the chip within the loader, while patented CoreFinder™ technology automates key steps such as chip alignment, laser delay calculation, drop delay, side stream angle, and breakoff position. This automation ensures that the system is consistently aligned for optimal performance, reducing the potential for user error and enhancing overall reliability.

Customizable Cleaning Cycles

Maintenance of the MA900 is simplified through its wizard-driven cleaning cycles, which can be customized to meet the specific needs of different labs. Default cleaning cycles, such as those using bleach or ethanol, are available, and the software guides users through each step. For added convenience, administrators can set up cleaning reminders and customize protocols to define cleaning times. This ensures that the system remains clean and ready for use, reducing downtime and maintaining the integrity of the sorted samples.

Versatile Sorting Capabilities

The MA900 offers a variety of sorting options to suit different research needs. Once events are gated on plots, target cells can be sorted using one of eight default or five custom sort modes, which allow for varying levels of purity and yield. The system supports sorting into 2-way and 4-way tubes, as well as 6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, 96-, and 384-well plates. This versatility makes the MA900 suitable for a wide range of applications, from basic research to more complex sorting tasks that require high throughput and precision.

Experiment Settings and Data Analysis

Creating and managing experiments on the MA900 is straightforward, thanks to its user-friendly software. Researchers can choose from new templates, recent experiments, or shared (public) templates in the experiment window. Once a template is selected, the software guides users through the experiment settings, such as sample groups, tubes, and pulse parameters for data acquisition. The compensation wizard simplifies the process of acquiring compensation data, while the drag-and-drop feature allows for easy adjustment of uncompensated populations.

During data acquisition, information is displayed on worksheets as dot plots and histograms, with various tools available to select, adjust, label, and measure statistics of target populations. Once the data is collected, it can be easily exported in FCS formats for use with third-party analysis software. This seamless integration of data acquisition and analysis tools ensures that researchers can focus on their experiments without being bogged down by technical details.

Automated Sort Monitoring and High-Throughput Sorting

The MA900’s automated sort monitoring feature is designed to maintain consistent sort performance. The software continuously monitors and adjusts the drop drive to ensure a stable breakoff point, which is crucial for achieving reliable sorting results. This feature also supports walk-away operation, allowing researchers to focus on other tasks while the system operates independently. Additionally, the system is capable of detecting clogs and empty tubes, further enhancing its reliability.

For labs that require high-throughput sorting, the optional Sort Deposition System is an invaluable tool. This hardware feature facilitates the precise deposition of cells into 6-, 12-, 24-, 48-, 96-, and 384-well plates or PCR plates. The MA900’s advanced capabilities, such as precise plate positioning and custom angled plate holders, ensure that single cells can be deposited with high efficiency, making it ideal for applications such as genomics and single-cell analysis.

Index Sorting Software

The MA900 also includes powerful index sorting software, which records the X and Y coordinates of each event sorted into a multiwell device. This feature enables researchers to track the scatter and fluorescence intensity of individual cells sorted into each well, providing valuable insights into clonal variability and other aspects of cellular behavior. The index file can be exported in CSV format or analyzed directly on the cell sorter, offering flexibility in how data is managed and interpreted.

Biosafety Cabinet for Enhanced Protection

For labs working with biohazardous materials, the MA900 can be installed inside an optional custom Class A2 Level II biosafety cabinet. These cabinets, designed and tested by Sony Biotechnology’s manufacturers, meet international standards such as the National Sanitation Foundation Standard 49 (NSF49) and the European Standard 12469. The cabinets feature a built-in aerosol management system that operates independently to evacuate aerosols from the sort collection chamber, maximizing protection for both personnel and products.

Conclusion

The MA900 cell sorter from Sony Biotechnology is a versatile and powerful tool that meets the diverse needs of modern research labs. With its advanced automation, customizable sorting options, and comprehensive safety features, the MA900 simplifies the cell sorting process, allowing researchers to focus on the biological questions that matter most. Whether you’re conducting routine cell sorting or tackling complex, multi-parameter experiments, the MA900 provides the flexibility, reliability, and ease of use required to advance your research.

4o

In the fast-paced world of cell biology, the ability to sort cells with precision and efficiency is crucial for advancing research. The SH800S Cell Sorter, a benchtop system designed with cutting-edge technology, offers researchers unparalleled flexibility and ease of use. Whether you’re working in an individual lab or a core facility, the SH800S adapts to a wide range of applications, making cell sorting more accessible and less complex.

Advanced Microfluidic Chip Technology

At the heart of the SH800S is its innovative microfluidic sorting chip, which comes in three sizes: 70 μm, 100 μm, and 130 μm. This versatility allows researchers to sort cells of varying sizes, catering to the specific requirements of different experiments. The chip-based design integrates seamlessly with the system’s fluidics controls, ensuring precise and consistent results. With the SH800S, the days of subjective and error-prone sorting are over. The system automates key steps, from setup to analysis, providing a level of precision that manual methods simply can’t match.

Intuitive System Software

The SH800S’s software is designed with the user in mind, featuring an intuitive interface that simplifies the entire sorting process. Researchers can sort cells into tubes, 96-well plates, or even 384-well plates with ease. The software supports the export of FCS 3.0 and FCS 3.1 files, which can be analyzed using third-party tools, ensuring that data can be easily integrated into existing workflows. The system’s flexibility is further enhanced by the option to use e-beam sterilized consumables, which replace the sample line and sorting chip, reducing the risk of cross-contamination—an essential feature for applications where sterility is paramount.

Comprehensive Biosafety Solutions

Safety is a top priority in any lab, and the SH800S addresses this with an optional Class A2 Level II biosafety cabinet. This cabinet, custom-designed for the SH800S, has been rigorously tested by The Baker Company to meet international biosafety standards, providing protection for both personnel and samples. This integration ensures that the SH800S can be used in a wide range of environments, including those where biohazardous materials are handled.

Flexible Optical Design for Diverse Applications

The optical design of the SH800S is another standout feature, offering up to four collinear excitation lasers (488 nm, 405 nm, 561 nm, and 638 nm) and six fluorescence detectors. This configuration allows for the detection of a broad range of fluorescence signals, giving researchers the flexibility to design experiments according to their specific needs. The six free-form PMTs enable the detection of signals from any laser, based on the selected filters, providing further customization options.

Unmatched Automation and Ease of Use

One of the most significant advantages of the SH800S is its high level of automation. Researchers can set up, calibrate, and monitor the system with just the push of a button, streamlining the workflow and reducing the potential for human error. The system’s patented CoreFinder™ technology plays a critical role in this automation, guiding users through the process of loading the sorting chip, selecting lasers, and inserting the required optical filters. The fluidics check ensures that the system is ready for operation, and the auto-calibration feature aligns the sorting chip with the lasers, calibrates the droplets, and estimates the drop delay using AutoSetup beads.

User-Friendly Data Analysis

Data analysis is a crucial aspect of cell sorting, and the SH800S makes this process straightforward. Data is displayed as dot plots and histograms, allowing researchers to gate events and mark target populations easily. The software provid