Assisted Sorting

We offer technician assisted Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). This service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Request an assisted appointment.

All of our FACS Aria Cell Sorters have the newest technology including the following equipment features:

• Sorting into plates, slides or tubes
• Sort up to 50,000 events/second
• Temperature- controlled sample chamber and collection chamber (Sorters in T105 and M901 only)
• Up to 17 colors plus forward and side scatter simultaneously allowing complex gating strategies
• Up to four way tube sorting (for 5mL or 1.5mL tubes only)
• Plate sorting- any number of cells can be deposited into any number of wells (including single-cell deposition)
• Ultra-sensitive Forward-Scatter PMT Detector Upgrade for small particle discrimination (Sorters in T105 and M901 only)
• Biosafety cabinet to allow biohazardous sample sorting

• UV (355nm) laser
• Violet (407nm) laser
• Blue (488nm) laser
• Yellow-Green (561nm) laser
• Red (638nm) laser
• Total of 17 colors plus Forward Scatter, Forward Scatter PMT, and Side Scatter

• UV (355nm) laser
• Violet (407nm) laser
• Blue (488nm) laser
• Yellow-Green (561nm) laser
• Red (638nm) laser
• Total of 15 colors plus Forward Scatter, Forward Scatter PMT, and Side Scatter

• Near-UV (375nm) laser -OR- Violet (407nm) laser
• Blue (488nm) laser
• Red (638nm) laser
• Total of 9 colors plus Forward Scatter and Side Scatter

The Sony MA900 sorter includes the following equipment features:

• Violet (405nm) laser
• Blue (488nm) laser
• Yellow-Green (561nm) laser
• Red (638nm) laser
• Total of 12 colors plus Forward and Back Scatter
• Sorting into plates, or 15 ml tubes (up to 2 at a time), or 5 ml tubes (up to 4 at a time)
• Sort up to 30,000 events/second
• Temperature- controlled sample chamber and collection chamber
• Plate sorting- any number of cells can be deposited into any number of wells (including single-cell deposition)
• Small particle resolution
• Biosafety cabinet to allow biohazardous sample sorting

• Blue (488nm) laser
• Yellow-Green (561nm) laser
• Up to 3 colors plus Time of Flight (ToF similar to forward scatter) and extinction (similar to side scatter)
• Ability to sort objects in the 10-400um range. This includes visualizing cell-cell interactions, cell clusters, organoids, iPSCs, plant protoplasts, adipocytes, hepatocytes, and some entire organisms (C. elegans, Drosophila melanogaster embryos, etc)
• Rotating sample cup to aid in uptake of hepatocytes, adipocytes, and fragile or sensitive cells
• Profiler which allows for sorting based on visual properties
• Can input samples from multiwell plates, petri dishes, microfuge tubes, and other types of containers
• Sorting into 24, 48, 96, or 384 well plates, 15, 50, and 1.5 mL Eppendorf tubes, or a custom output receptacle

Please download and read the Sorting and Sample Prep Guideline document to help better prepare for your sort appointment.

What type of tubes do I use for sorting?

For samples, we can use any 5 mL tube, BD Falcon 15 mL conicals, or 1.1 mL tubes.

For collection, you may use any brand of 15 mL, 5 mL, or 1.5 mL tube. You may also use any brand of slide or plate in a 6-well, 12-well, 24-well, or 96-well configuration.

How much volume should I bring my cells in?

Please see the most up to date measurement of how much volume in milliliters is taken up per sorter, per nozzle, and per flow rate.

• Assisted Sorting Charge: $120/hour (Minimum 1 hour or 1/2 the time reserved for the appointment)
• Assisted Sort Set-Up Fee: $50; Unassisted Sort Set-Up Fee: $60
• View a full list of fees.

• Please give at least 24 hours notice for all cancellations of technician assisted appointments. If an assisted appointment is cancelled within 24 hours of the start time, it is subject to a cancellation fee.