The CellRaft Air® System is an integrated platform that uses specialized technology to keep cells in an unperturbed state, resulting in enhanced viability of single cells, highly proliferative colonies, and superior clonal outgrowth. This rapidly increases the number of clones available for downstream applications.

Users can use the system to:

  • Obtain 10–50 times more viable monoclonal colonies
  • Culture single cells in a flask-like environment, without physically separating them, avoiding perturbation to cell physiology and assuring viability and vitality of single cells as they transform into clones
  • Pinpoint cells of interest using robust, label-free brightfield analysis software with user-defined parameters
  • Separate CellRafts containing cells or colonies of interest for downstream endpoint analysis or clonal expansion automatically and gently
  • To facilitate regulatory submissions by creating a complete image-based record of all clones

Video Credit: Cell Microsystems

Seed cells on CellRaft array

Seeding cells on the CellRaft array is as simple as seeding cells on any regular tissue culture dish. Cells settle into the microwells by gravity after the dilute cell suspension is dispensed into the central reservoir. The CellRaft Arrays are intended to produce many single cells while benefiting from shared media in a flask-like environment to promote viability and monoclonal outgrowth.

Discover CellRaft AIR® System to maintain cells in an unperturbed state

Image Credit: Cell Microsystems

Image using CellRaft AIR system

Brightfield and fluorescence scanning can offer single-cell resolution imaging in as short as seven minutes. Because the CellRaft arrays are keyed, they can be scanned throughout the days or weeks required to identify samples of interest without monopolizing the instrument with a single experiment.

Discover CellRaft AIR® System to maintain cells in an unperturbed state

Image Credit: Cell Microsystems

Identify cells of interest in software

CellRaft CytometryTM enables image-based validation of single cells to ensure monoclonality and analyze parameters ranging from morphology to gene expression. Users can easily define the target cells’ or colonies’ properties and map them for software-guided CellRaft selection for downstream isolation.

Discover CellRaft AIR® System to maintain cells in an unperturbed state

Image Credit: Cell Microsystems

Automated isolation to a 96-well plate

After detection, the CellRafts are delicately dislodged from the CellRaft Array with a release needle and recovered from the array with a magnetic wand for downstream processing. The completely automated CellRaft AIR System separates validated, intact clones for proliferation without dissociation or fluidics in a gentle, dissociation-free manner.

Discover CellRaft AIR® System to maintain cells in an unperturbed state

Image Credit: Cell Microsystems

The CellRaft Array’s flask-like culture conditions, along with the automated and gentle isolation of specified cells, colonies, or organoids of interest, result in a higher post-isolation outgrowth percentage than can be achieved with limiting dilution or typical cell sorters and dispensers.

Discover CellRaft AIR® System to maintain cells in an unperturbed state

Clonal outgrowth efficiency of CHO-K1 cells in n = 3 96-well plates using limiting dilution and CellRaft AIR with 100s and 200s array formats. Image Credit: Cell Microsystems

Discover CellRaft AIR® System to maintain cells in an unperturbed state

iPSCs grown on a CellRaft Array. The CellRaft is isolated on Day 6 into a 96-well plate where the iPSCs continue growing off the CellRaft. Image Credit: Cell Microsystems

Capabilities of the CellRaft AIR system

Applications

  • CRISPR gene editing
  • Cell line development
  • Stem cell culture
  • Single-cell genomics
  • Organoid development

On-array assays

  • Co-culture
  • Cell-drug interactions
  • Cell-cell interactions
  • Cell characterization

Ideal cell types

  • Animal or human cells
  • Stem cells (including iPSCs)
  • Immortalized cells
  • Primary cells
  • Adherent cells
  • Suspension cells

Features

  • Bench-top instrument
  • Attached computer
  • Optional stage-top incubation system
  • Includes on-instrument and off-instrument software
  • Start-up kits come with CellRaft Arrays and accessories