CellDrop™ Automated Cell Counter

Overview

The CellDrop Automated Cell Counter is a dual fluorescence and brightfield instrument that features DirectPipette™ technology. This unique sample loading method eliminates the need for disposable slides, therefore reducing the plastic waste and ongoing costs associated with routine cell counting.

Systems include a high definition 7 inch touchscreen for live preview and instant review of results. Pre-installed EasyApps™ software includes applications for AO/PI, Brightfield, Trypan Blue, GFP and user customized methods. The software delivers rapid cell counts, viability reports and transfection efficiency assays. All instruments feature Wi-Fi, USB and Ethernet connectivity, allowing users to easily export data via email, network drives, network printers or USB drive. CellDrop Automated Cell Counters are available in dual fluorescence and brightfield or brightfield only models.

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.

First ACT^® Label Certified Automated Cell Counter

The DeNovix CellDrop^™ Automated Cell Counter has achieved ACT^® Label certification from My Green Lab^®, making it the first automated cell counter accredited by the program.

Both CellDrop models (CellDrop BF and FL) received ACT Labels for the three geographical regions represented by the program: United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the CellDrop BF scored 24.3 and the CellDrop FL scored 24.9. These scores are among the lowest in the ACT Label program, demonstrating the efforts made by DeNovix to minimize the environmental impact of our instruments.

The ACT Label recognizes CellDrop’s innovative approach to cell counting, which removes a source of common plastic waste from laboratories. The instrument’s patented DirectPipette^™ technology allows users to load samples directly into a permanent chamber, thereby eliminating the need for plastic cell counting slides. This unique feature was identified during the formal review process and appears in the “Innovation” section of the label.

The CellDrop also scored favorably for its low energy consumption, sustainable packaging, and expected 10+ year lifetime.

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. 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:

• Total / Live / Dead Cell Count
• % Viability
• Cell Diameter
• Total / Live / Dead Cell Per mL

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.

• Total / Live / Dead Cells
• %Viability
• Cluster Size
• Live and Dead Cells (by size)
• % GFP Transfection Efficiency

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.

Specifications