Plateforme de Cytométrie

Need training? Someone to look over your data? Panel design? Teaching? Help to plan your experiment? Got a new application or developing a new technique and you’d like to set up a collaboration with us?

Contact us (pfc@pasteur.fr) to discuss all aspects of flow cytometry, from feasibility to execution: theory teaching, instrument training, advice with sample preparation are some of the steps on which the cytometry team can help you. We are available for departmental seminars, advanced user training  and other outreach activities (secondary and undergraduate teaching). Engage the experts and ensure that your flow cytometry experimentation is done right, is reproducible and publishable.
♦ Training for automomous use of the equipment
♦ Assistance for using a cytometer
♦ Advice and technical support
♦ Scientific collaborations
♦ Access to different data analysis software
♦ Protocols and Cytometry Tutorials
♦ Cytometry Glossary
♦ Resources

Twice a week, our morning routine at the flow cytometry core facility starts roughly at 9:30, and we basically have 2 hours to set up all the instruments, do the fluidics cleaning and quality control checks, so that we make sure that the instruments are performing well for the researchers that typically arrive around 11:30 to start their experiments.

Cell Sorters
Cytometry staff are highly experienced in multicolor immune cell sorting of human and mouse cells, bacteria, virus, and others sub-cellular particules. We provide support for RNA Seq applications (sorting in bulk or in 384-well plates).
We propose cell sorting instrumentations in BSL1, BSL2 and BSL2+ environments (see individual equipment description).

Cell Analyzers
The Cytometry platform offers a range of conventional and spectral cytometers covering the multitude of applications requested by our researchers. We propose instrumentations in BSL1, BSL2 and BSL2+ environments (see individual equipment description).
♦ Conventional Flow Cytometry
Today, available instruments are designed to detect up to 50 different bio‐markers on an individual cell. Typically these markers are fluorescent antibodies, molecular sensors, or genetically encoded reporters. Our high-parameter flow cytometers are powerful analytical tools that enable scientists to identify and analyze distinct phenotypes in heterogeneous populations.
♦ Spectral Flow Cytometry
Since 2016, we have developed our expertise in spectral cytometry.
For spectral flow cytometry, the “one detector, one marker” paradigm is not true anymore.
Spectral Cytometry is an emerging technology that revolutionizes the cytometry by identifying specific fluorochrome “signatures”and by eliminating need for compensation. These instruments employs a prism array to disperse the collected light over a 32 channel PMT. The measured spectra from single cells are subsequently unmixed by using reference spectra of all used dyes and autofluorescence spectrum. Least Square Fitting algorithms are used to calculate the most accurate fit for all reference spectra, leading to an accurate determination of which dyes are present on each cell and at which intensity. These capabilities allow the detection of really close emission spectra dyes to achieve greater flexibility for panel design and more accurate visualization of results. The sensitivity is increased by removal of auto-fluorescence.

We offer you various tools to optimize your cytometry experiments:
♦ Cytometry Memory Aid poster
♦ Several cytometry protocols (antibody titration, apoptosis, cell cycle, isolation of PBMCs, calcium analysis, membrane permeability, etc…)