Resources

Spectra viewers are tools that allow one to visualize fluorophore excitation and emission and the interaction between multiple fluorophores. Properly utilized spectra viewers allow one to construct a panel that has minimal interactions between all of one's fluorophores reducing or eliminating the need for compensation.

• BD Spectrum Viewer (BD Biosciences)
• BioLegend Spectra Analyzer
• ThermoFisher Scientific Fluorescence SpectraViewer
• Miltenyi Biotec Fluorescence Spectra Viewer
• BC Fluorescence Spectrum Analyzer for Flow Cytometry (Beckman Coulter Life Sciences)

FPbase (The Flurorescent Protein Database) is repository for excitation and emission spectra for fluorescent proteins that outstrips the options provided by vendor spectra viewers. FPbase also contains a spectra viewer and a number of other tools specific to fluorescent proteins that significantly simplify experimental planning and panel building using fluorescent proteins. More information about FPbase can be found here.

Fluorofinder is a fluorescence experiment design platform that vertically integrates cytometer, antigen, fluorophore and vendor product information optimizing the panel design process. The UFCR has uploaded our cytometer information allowing customers to design panels specific to our instrumentation significantly speeding up new panel design. Accessing all of Fluorofinder's features requires registering and creating an account with Fluorofinder. Basic academic accounts are free.

Optimized Multicolor Immunofluorescence Panels (OMIPs), published in Cytometry Part A, are fluorescent panels that have been carefully and methodically created to allow for easily reproducible results for experiments utilizing fluorescence. These have been primarily developed for flow cytometry, but also include mass cytometry and other techniques using fluorescence, and cover a number of different species and biological processes. Since all of the antibodies used in OMIPs have been thoroughly vetted, one can confidently select all or part of an OMIP for one's own experiment and effectively eliminate the time needed to build a new panel from scratch.

Vendors also have a number of resources detailing the antigens and antigen density on specific types of cells. Such guides can help one determine what markers would be the most informative as one evaluates one's biological process.

• BD CD Marker Handbook (BD Biosciences) (PDF)
• BioLegend Cell Markers Webpage
• Antigen Density of Human & Murine Surface Markers (Bio-Rad)

Additional instrument procedures developed in-house (e.g. Instrument Start-Up and Shutdown Guide) can be found in the Policies and Procedures section (In Development).

• BD LSRFortessa User Guide
• BD LSRFortessa X-20 User Guide
• BD FACSAria III User Guide (Applicable for BD FACSAria II Cell Sorters)
• BD Cytometer Tracking & Setup (CS&T) Application Guide
• Cytek Aurora Quick Reference Guide
• Cytek Aurora User Guide
• Sony MA900 Operator Guide

ISAC is the preeminent flow cytometry association whose mission is to drive technological innovation, scholarship, and the exchange of knowledge in the field of quantitative cell sciences, including flow cytometry, by a multidisciplinary community. ISAC publishes the monthly Cytometery Part A and the quarterly Current Protocols in Cytometry journals and has developed a robust, searchable flow cytometry data repository, Flow Repository, that allows one to do an in-depth analysis of published data and protocols and apply that knowledge to one's research. ISAC has also created a cytometry learning portal, CYTO University (See below), and hosts a number of other resources. For more information about ISAC, click here.

CYTO University (CYTO U) has a number of different, educational multimedia courses including webinars and online interactive e-learning courses. These courses range from flow cytometry basics to in-depth discussion on a wide range of topics. A number of courses are free, but others require payment or are reduced or free for members only. An overview of the CYTO U fees and ISAC membership costs and benefits can be found on the CYTO U and ISAC websites, respectively.

PUCL is the web page of Dr. J. Paul Robinson at Purdue University and contains a number of cytometry resources including the Purdue Cytometry Discussion List. This searchable list, which dates back to 1989, is where members can ask and answer questions related to any topic in cytometry.

Similar to the Purdue Cytometry Discussion List, the Flow Cytometry subreddit is a discussion forum for asking and answering questions related to flow cytometry.

GLIIFCA is a regional quantitative cell sciences association and an associated society of ISAC. GLIIFCA aims to host an inclusive annual meeting that acts as a forum for advances in technology, novel applications of cytometry in research and diagnostics and the wide exchange of information and education among all of the participants.

ABRF is an association of Shared Resource Laboratories (SRLs) that aims to create and facilitate implementation of best practices within SRLs and their associated institutions. They accomplish this through a variety of means including the publication of the quarterly Journal of Biomolecular Techniques.