Date: Fri Jun 10 2005 - 14:53:58 EST
Our lab needs a 5 color (dual laser, 488 and 635) cytometer that can read samples from a 96 well plate format, and I am looking for some help in choosing between two instruments.
To my knowledge, what is available in the US market at this time is: (1) the Coulter Cytomics FC500 MPL and (2) the Partec CyFlow Space equipped with the RobbyWell.
Does anyone have any knowledge of these two?
There are several elements that will influence the decision:
1) Quality: I was told that Partec uses microscope lenses to collect/detect signal and this considerably increases the sensitivity. Also they have absolute cells counting.
2) Price. the Partec cytometer is at least 20% less expensive than Coulter's. Also for little more money it is possible to get one additional detector to make it into a 6 color machine.
3) Service: Coulter is produced in the US and they have a large customer base. Based on personal experience on the two XLs we have now, Coulter's service is, just to be short, excellent. Interestingly the cost of the service contract for the Partec machines is less than Coulter's: the reason for this is that they need less repairs (I was told).
It will be quite an investment for our lab, so any suggestions, comments etc will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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Paolo Piazza, PhD
425 Parran Hall
Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
GSPH -
tel (412) 624 – 3130
fax (412) 624 – 4953
e-mail paolo@pitt.edu
