NEWS Glass Expansion Newsletter | October 2016 | Issue 41
Glass Expansion News
APPLICATION SPOTLIGHT
MicroMist Nebulizer for Single Cell
Mass Cytometry
Noel Caseya, Adeeb Rahmanb, Ryan Brennanc and Jerry Duludec
a. Atomic Spectroscopy Consultant, Watertown, MA 02472. noelcasey@gmail.com
b. Director of Technology Development, Human Immune Monitoring Core, Icahn School
of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, NY 10029. adeeb.rahman@mssm.edu
c. Glass Expansion Inc. Pocasset, MA 02559. geusa@geicp.com
Introduction
Mass cytometry is the current state-of-the-art technology in single cell-analysis that is
transforming the fields of immunology, cancer biology, vaccine development, drug discovery,
and translational medicine(1-6). This new tool is providing scientists with the most detailed
overview of normal and diseased cells and how they respond to various drug treatment
options. The technology was developed at the University of Toronto and commercialized
by DVS Sciences Inc. in 2009 before being acquired by Fluidigm Corp in 2014. Since its
introduction, three generations of instruments have been released (CyTOF, CyTOF2 and
Helios) and the number of publications utilizing mass cytometry has nearly doubled every
2 years.
Mass Cytometry combines the elemental quantitation, specificity and dynamic range of
Inductively Coupled Plasma Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ICP-TOF-MS) with the
single cell analysis capabilities of traditional fluorescence-based flow cytometry to study,
diagnose and develop treatments for diseases. The number of parameters that can be
simultaneously measured on single cells by traditional flow cytometry is restricted by a
limited range of available fluorochromes, spectral overlap between fluorochromes and
intrinsic cellular autofluoresence. Mass cytometry uses enriched stable isotope metals
attached to antibodies using metal-chelating reagents to label specific protein biomarkers
in cells from blood, tissues, or cell cultures, with minimal mass spectral overlap between
each metal tag. The mass cytometer measures the expression of these biomarkers in each
individual cell according to the type and concentration of each metal detected. The latest
generation of instrument provides more than 120 detection channels at typical acquisition
rates of up to 500 cells/second(7).
The primary sample introduction challenge facing Mass Cytometry is that its acquisition
rate is ~10 times slower than conventional flow cytometers. So using a robust and reliable
sample introduction system that maximizes the numbers of intact single cells entering the
ICP while maintaining instrument detection limits is key. Glass Expansion’s latest research
addresses factors that can affect cell integrity prior to introduction to the ICP and ways
to improve the efficiency and reliability of sample transport in Mass Cytometry. A newly
designed MicroMistTM concentric nebulizer with a zero dead volume capillary connection is
evaluated in addition to a tool to accurately monitor sample delivery.
New Sales & Marketing
Manager
Glyn Russell has taken up the position
of Sales & Marketing Manager at
Glass Expansion’s Australian head
office. Glyn has extensive experience
in the analytical equipment industry
and is particularly knowledgeable
regarding ICP instrumentation.
He will continue to enhance Glass
Expansion’s reputation for highest
quality products and customer support.
He replaces Peter Liddell who has
retired.
In this issue:
• Application Spotlight................1 – 5
• GE News..........................................1
• New Products..................................6
WindTunnel Mobile Cart
• Instrument News.............................7
From Agilent
From Analytik Jena
From Horiba Jobin Yvon
www.geicp.com 1
/www.geicp.com
/noelcasey@gmail.com
/adeeb.rahman@mssm.edu
/geusa@geicp.com