Basic Sciences

The Flow Cytometry (FCM) facility is a centralized facility used by scientists/ clinicians from ACTREC for a wide range of research applications including immunophenotyping, multicolor analysis, DNA content and cell cycle analysis, apoptosis and proliferation studies, detection of mitochondrial membrane potential, stem cell analysis - side cell population, dermal stem cell analysis, detection of circulating tumor cells, functional assays like intracellular calcium influx, oxidative burst analysis, intracellular cytokine analysis, cytometric bead array assay for the detection of cytokines, and 4-way live cell and single cell sorting.

The facility provides technical expertise in experiment design and data interpretation to researchers whenever required, and also provides training in data analysis. The facility has four flow cytometers: FACSAria-I which is equipped with 3 lasers (407 nm, 488 nm, 633 nm), can perform 11-color analysis and 4 way-sorting, FACSCalibur which is equipped with one laser (488 nm) and can perform 3-color analysis; in 2017, it acquired FACSAria-III which is equipped with 5 lasers (407 nm, 488 nm, 633 nm, 561 nm and UV- 355 nm) which can perform 18 color analysis with 4 way sorting, and Attune NxT which is equipped with 4 lasers (407 nm, 488 nm, 633 nm, 561 nm) and can perform 14 color analysis.

The software used for data analysis include FACSDiva, CellQuest Pro, Attune NxT, FlowJo, FCAP Array and Modfit. The facility also offers its services to outside investigators on payment basis. Demonstrations and training were provided to staff and students on request.