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This section provides an overview for flow cytometers as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 6 flow cytometer manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked flow cytometer companies as of February, 2025: 1.NanoFCM INC, 2.Sysmex Partec GmbH, 3.Beckman Coulter, Inc..
Table of Contents
A flow cytometer is a device used to perform a measurement method called flow cytometry.
In this method, a laser beam is shone on cells in a fluidized liquid sample to detect scattered light and fluorescence emitted from the cells and measure characteristics such as cell size, number, and intracellular and surface antigens.
Compared to fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometers have advantages such as simultaneous quantification of multiple measurement items and high analysis speed. However, flow cytometry is not suitable for observing the morphological characteristics of cells.
Flow cytometers are widely used for research in the biological and medical fields that handle cells, as well as for clinical testing and treatment. The types of cells that can be measured vary. Peripheral blood leukocytes and other cells are analyzed for disease diagnosis, and cultured animal and plant cells, adult stem cells, tumor-initiating cells, and other rare cells are also analyzed for characterization.
Other cell types that can be measured include microorganisms, marine organisms such as plankton, sperm, yeast, and latex beads.
Flow cytometers consist of three main components: a flow path system, an optical system, and an electrical system. The flow path system has the function of taking in a sample and pushing it into a flow cell. A laser beam is then applied to the flow cell from the optical system, which consists of a light source, lens, filter, and a detector that generates a photocurrent.
The fluorescence emission from the cells is detected and analyzed by the electrical system. The flow path system consists of tubes, valves, and pumps, and the fluorescently labeled cells suspended in the sample are aligned in a row by the flow path system for analysis.
When the cells pass in a single file through the laser light, called the interrogation point, the light is scattered, and at the same time, fluorescence is emitted by the excitation of the fluorescent dye bound to the cells. This scattered light and fluorescence are detected as a signal by the detector. There are two types of scattered light signals: forward scattered light (FS) and side scattered light (SS).
Different detectors are used to detect FS and SS, with FS reflecting cell size and SS reflecting intracellular structure. The detected signals are converted into data in an electronic system and finally can be interpreted by software.
Flow cytometers are divided into two types: cell analyzers and cell sorters. Cell analyzers are devices that analyze cells. Cells in the sample solution, which is wrapped in a sheath fluid, are aligned one by one by a flow cell and flow through the detection section. A laser is then irradiated, and the cells are analyzed by detecting light scattering and fluorescence emission.
Cell analyzers are simple and easy to operate. In addition to cell analysis, cell sorters can also fractionate cells of interest. In addition to analyzing the structure, size, and proportion of cells, the cell sorter can also examine the distribution of cells at high speed and perform preparative sorting.
Cells of interest are given a positive or negative charge to form droplets. Only the droplets of charged target cells are collected in a test tube or microtube by a polarizer, with a voltage applied to change their direction of movement. Cell sorters are more complex and require more skill than cell analyzers.
There are two types of antibodies used in flow cytometry for cell detection: polyclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies. Polyclonal antibodies are purified from sera collected after immunizing animals with antigens. These antibodies are mixtures of antibodies that recognize and bind to multiple epitopes (antibody binding sites).
To produce monoclonal antibodies, animals are immunized with antigens, and then the antibody-containing B cells are fused with myeloma (cancerous) cells. The resulting hybridoma secretes antibodies that are monoclonal antibodies. This antibody recognizes only one epitope.
Most antibodies for flow cytometry are monoclonal antibodies because they improve the accuracy of the experiment and the specificity of the detection of the target substance (antigen).
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Beckman Coulter, Inc. is a manufacturer of scientific research instruments primarily for the academia and pharmaceutical markets. The company is a merger between Beckman Instruments, Inc. and Coulter Corporation based in Indiana, United States with a history dating back to 1935. Beckman Coulter develops and manufactures instruments for the clinical research market, and applied markets including food and beverages, agriculture, oil and gas, and aerospace. The company's range of instrument and reagents include Air and Liquid Particle Counters, Centrifuges, and Genomic Solutions.
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., established in 1953 and headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a manufacturer of sensors and emitters for both visible and invisible light. It stocks products like LEDs, lamps, and photodiodes used in several industries, including consumer electronics, dental imaging, and environmental monitoring. The sensor and light source components are also available as modules and units that can be incorporated into systems the company develops, like optical measurement systems or imaging systems. The ISO 9001-certified company stocks over 15,000 devices, units, and systems that ship to over 100 destinations worldwide, and it has ten research and production bases.
Merck, started in 1668 and based in Darmstadt, Germany, is a supplier of solutions and services for research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical and biotechnological drug therapies. The company serves the life science industry and has a broad portfolio of 300,000 products, including biopharmaceutical manufacturing, industrial microbiology, reagent, life science research, and water purification products. It is available in 66 countries, brings together six brands, and has several ISO certifications, including ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 13485, and ISO 50001.
Ranking as of February 2025
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NanoFCM INC |
25.1%
|
| 2 | Sysmex Partec GmbH |
21.1%
|
| 3 | BD Biosciences |
15.2%
|
| 4 | Beckman Coulter, Inc. |
14.0%
|
| 5 | Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. |
14.0%
|
| 6 | Merck |
10.5%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the flow cytometer page as of February 2025. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
2 | 50.0% |
|
Japan
|
1 | 25.0% |
Germany
|
1 | 25.0% |
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