OHRI Mass Cytometry Sevice

The OHRI Mass Cytometry Service offers a complete service for high parameter project design, acquisition and analysis.

  • Break free of fluorescence to deep profile cellular phenotypes.
  • Simultaneously interrogate phenotype, function and signalling state
  • 40+ parameters available.

OHRI Website Scroll Down for a Brief Overview

What is Mass Cytometry

Mass cytometry or cytometry by time-of-flight (CyToF) is a modern variation of flow cytometry that uses antibodies labelled with rare-earth metal tags rather than fluorophores. Mass cytometry allows us to extensively phenotype cells in suspension with large panels of antibodies (>40). Alternatively we can phenotype subpopulations of cells with ~20 antibodies and then use the remaining parameters to scan cell functionality (cytokines, transcription factors, phosphoproteins)

How Mass Cytometry Works

Up to the moment of acquisition

Labelling Cells

Just like in flow cytometry, marker-specific antibodies tagged with heavy metals (lanthanides) rather than fluorophores are added to cells to label specific markers.

Acquiring Events

Once cells are labelled, they are introduced into the instrument via nebulizer. Each cell is drawn into the instrument where it’s annihilated by an argon plasma torch, releasing the metal tags in an ion cloud.

Measuring Events

The ion cloud generated by the plasma torch is filtered for low molecular weight material and the heavy ions (- the metal tags staining the cells) are measured by mass spectroemtry revealing which cells were associated with specific tagged antibodies

Analysing Data

Mass cytometry data is Big Data. Rather than manual gating you’ll be using combinations of dimensionality reduction (tSNE, UMAP etc) and clustering (flowSOM, Phenograph etc.)

The Fluidigm Helios Mass Cytometer

The Helios Mass Cytometer is a 3rd generation mass cytoemter with an expanded mass range. The OHRI Mass Cytometry Service’s Fluidigm Helios instrument is cutting-edge, allowing user-definable panels of up to 44 parameters. There are additional separate channels for live-dead discrimination, multiplexing, cell identification etc.

Who are we?

The OHRI Mass Cytometry Service is part of the Proteomics Core Facility and provides full support for all aspects of mass cytometry projects. We're happy to help with any aspect of your mass cytometry projects including:

  • Experiment and Panel Design
  • Conjugate and validate antibodies
  • Optimise staining conditions
  • Acquire samples
  • Support data analysis

Get started now

We're always happy to talk about any high parameter projects you might have in mind. We have many years experience with high parameter projects in both mass and flow cytometry.

If you have an idea or are simply curious about how we can help feel free to reach out

Email us now
Mass Cytometry Specialist: Damian Carragher
Proteomics Core Facility Manager: Marjorie Brand
Mass Spectrometry Specialist: Lawrence Puente
Adapted from the Evie template created for unDraw