Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core Facility of the Department for BioMedical Research
Medical Faculty of the University of Bern
1. General
The DBMR Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core Facility (FCCS CF) is aimed at providing the necessary infrastructure and support for successful flow cytometric analyses and cell sorting (collectively termed flow cytometry). The facility is not available for diagnostic purposes. The use of the facility’s equipment is subject to fees and users will be billed according to the time they occupy analyzers and/or sorters as shown in detail below.
Billing is done based on either booked, or effectively used time, depending on which of them is longer. Cancelling or shortening booked time is possible up to 16 hours before the slot. After that, any changes have to be requested by contacting FCCS staff with cancelled time being billed with half price.
To become entitled for self-operated usage of our analyzers, an introduction to the desired instrument(s) has to be requested.
2. Periods of operation
The FCCS CF is usually attended Monday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm. Users with proper introduction can access the facility and use our analyzers at any time. Cell sorting outside of working hours is possible upon request.
3. Sorting
Appointments for sorting have to be made bilaterally with the FCCS staff. Availability of the sorters should be checked before in the DBMR reservation system, where our cell sorters can be seen in read-only mode. For each sorting appointment, a Sort_Form needs to be filled in and sent to facslab.dbmr@unibe.ch as soon as possible. This information is needed for appropriate setup of the sorter, and for better estimation of the required time. Sorts above biosafety level 2 cannot be performed.
4. Biosafety
Users must adhere to the basic biosafety guidelines as published in the Current Protocols in Flow Cytometry and mentioned in the preface of this journal which can be accessed online (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/book/10.1002/0471142956) or in print in our core facility:
“Safety Considerations: Anyone carrying out these protocols may encounter toxic chemicals, carcinogenic or teratogenic reagents, and pathogenic and infectious biological agents. Particular care should be exercised in dealing with fluorescent probes, many of which are potential carcinogens, especially when sorting cells labelled by or suspended in fluorescent reagents. All applicable precautions must be taken for any work with materials of human origin. Although cautionary statements are included in the appropriate units, it must be emphasized that users must proceed with the prudence and precaution associated with good laboratory practice, and that all materials must be used, stored, and disposed of in strict accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.”
5. Basic requirements for successful flow cytometry
- We strongly recommend contacting us for a discussion before investing too much time and effort in flow cytometry approaches that have not yet been established in your lab.
- Ask for advice from us or from experienced persons in your research environment.
- Careful titration of antibodies/staining reagents is strongly recommended.
- For proper compensation of multicolor panels, good quality single-stained samples (beads or cells) are mandatory. Contrary to the manufacturer’s instructions, single stained beads should be washed thoroughly after incubation with antibodies!
- Isotype and “Fluorescence Minus One” (FMO) controls may help to avoid drawing false conclusions from your measurements.
- For the sake of the next user (and the FCCS staff), please carefully follow the instructions for cleaning the instruments after use.
- Ask the expert: maybe you are not aware of methods or approaches that are feasible with our equipment.
6. Fees
Fees for acquisition and cell sorting, as well as for related services are used to cover personnel and instrumentation costs according to the regulations by the Swiss National Science Foundation. Invoices are sent out quarter-annually.
