Denovix CellDrop™ Cell Counter. Count Cells without Slides!

CellDrop Cell Counters feature unique DirectPipette™ Technology to eliminate plastic slides and cumbersome hemocytometers from routine cell counting. Featuring dual fluorescence and brightfield optics, variable height sample chamber, and powerful, easy-to-use analysis software, the CellDrop enables the fastest cell counts, viability assessment, and GFP transfection efficiency measurements across the widest range of cell density, cell type and application.

WILMINGTON, DE – October 17th, 2023 – The DeNovix CellDrop^™ Automated Cell Counter has achieved ACT^® Label certification from My Green Lab^®, making it the first automated cell counter accredited by the program.

The ACT Environmental Impact Factor Label provides a third-party verification for the environmental impact of laboratory products. The label is designed to help scientists make more sustainable purchasing decisions, with scoring categories such as manufacturing, energy and water use, packaging, product content, and more.

The ACT Label recognizes CellDrop’s innovative approach to cell counting, which removes a source of common plastic waste from laboratories. The instrument’s patented DirectPipette^™ technology allows users to load samples directly into a permanent chamber, thereby eliminating the need for plastic cell counting slides. This unique feature was identified during the formal review process and appears in the “Innovation” section of the label.

DirectPipette™ Technology

The CellDrop Series brings the familiar Load, Measure & Wipe Clean functionality of microvolume spectrophotometers to cell counting. Traditional plastic slides or glass hemocytometers are replaced by two permanent optical sapphire surfaces. These are positioned parallel to one another by a calibration-free, high-precision mechanism, forming a chamber of precisely defined height. 10µL of cell suspension is pipetted into the chamber, analyzed and simply wiped away with a dry laboratory wipe. The powerful live-view image allows instant verification that cleaning has been successful.

Accurate Across the Widest Range of Cell Size and Density

Using conventional counting methods, samples with high or low cell densities require time consuming dilution or concentration steps. The variable height chamber of the CellDrop adjusts chamber depth automatically, delivering the most accurate counts over the widest cell densities – 7 x 102 to 4 x 107. Chamber height can also be adjusted to accommodate almost any cell with a diameter range of 4 to 400µm.

Easy-to-Learn, Powerful-to-Use

Designed by life scientists, the CellDrop EasyApps® Software exceeds the functionality of high cost cell counters while delivering the ease of use of simpler systems. EasyApps combines with a high definition, 7″ touchscreen interface to give error-free operation with sample loading to data exporting in seconds. Pre-installed with a range of common applications for one-touch analysis of assays such as Brightfield, Trypan blue, AO/PI, GFP and Yeast and the ability to create custom methods makes the CellDrop a flexible workhorse for the busy, multi-user lab.

Cell Gating:

Declustering:

Primary Cells:

Results:

Exporting:

Hazardous Samples?

The small footprint and onboard processing of CellDrop allow it to fit inside most flow hoods where required. For applications that require the cells to be contained when reading, all instruments also have the ability to read samples in common disposable plastic slides and reusable slides without the need for additional adaptors.

Models:

Available in Dual Fluorescence and Brightfield (CellDrop FL) or Brightfield only (CellDrop BF) models.

CellDrop™ EasyApps® Software

Application Highlights:

Intuitive app icons for quick recognition
7″ HD Touchscreen. fluid pinch and zoom, glove compatible touch interface
Live HD preview of cell samples
Real-time cell size gating on main results screen
High definition cell outlining
Password protected user accounts for project and data management
Thousands of measurements stored onboard instrument (60GB SSD is standard)

Brightfield Apps (all models)

Fluorescence Apps (CellDrop FL only)

Key Features

All Brightfield capabilities plus 2 channel fluorescence (green and red)
Cell viability analysis using acridine orange (AO) and propidium iodide (PI)
Analyze primary cells in the presence of debris
AO for identification of nucleated cells
PI for cell viability
AO/PI for live/dead
Yeast viability
GFP Transfection Efficiency
6 intuitive results analysis formats

Utility Apps:

Key Features

Password protected accounts available
All data automatically saved & searchable by account, application and date
Print reports to a networked printer
Export full data sets via email; save to a network folder or USB thumb drive
Custom Methods for user-defined analyses (includes all Brightfield capabilities plus 2 channel fluorescence)

Count Codes (all models- Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) option)

Key Features

Count codes are used for CellDrop BF and CellDrop FL instruments that were purchased with the PAYG option
Users enters a purchased 20-digit code directly into instrument software to replenish counts
Share counts between user accounts
User-settable low count threshold will alert users when count codes are running low

FAQ’s:

What is the range of cell densities the CellDrop can measure?
7 x 102 to 4 x 107 cells/ml
Can the CellDrop deal with clumped cells?
Yes. Advanced declustering algorithms have been developed by DeNovix to define individual cells within a cluster.
Can I upgrade from brightfield to fluorescence?
The instruments contain different hardware and an upgrade involves returning the instrument to DeNovix. Please contact DeNovix or your local distributor for details.
Can I use other fluorophores than those in the pre-defined assays?
Yes, custom methods can be created for alternative assays. Check instrument specifications to ensure that fluorophores meet with the excitation / emission profile of the CellDrop.
What is the difference between CellDrop FL and CellDrop BF? Why would I need Fluorescence?CellDrop FL provides dual fluorescence channels and brightfield optics. CellDrop BF is a brightfield only system. While brightfield image analysis has been applied to many mammalian cells, there are many cells and applications that are difficult or impossible to analyse with this method alone. Primary cells, for example Peripheral bloody mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are present amongst large numbers of anucleate red blood cells. RBCs may be called as dead cells using brightfield, skewing cell viability estimates. Fluorescence methods specifically target live / dead PBMCs and do not bind to RBCs giving accurate and sensitive counts. Assays such as Green Fluorescent Protein transfection specifically require measuring fluorescence to assays the success of an assay.
How do I know which chamber height to use for my cells?
For most cell samples our standard 100µm chamber is appropriate. For high or low density cell suspensions the height may be set at 30 or 400 µm. Software alerts guide the user to the appropriate settings and preferences can be saved in user defined protocols.
Is carryover an issue between samples?
Cells can be removed from upper and lower sample surfaces using a dry laboratory wipe. This is sufficient to leave the surface clean and ready for the next sample. The live view of the sample area displayed on the screen can be used to confirm that cleaning is successful. If additional cleaning is required add 10µL of 70% ethanol to the surface and wipe away.
What if the sample surfaces get scratched?
The CellDrop sample chamber is formed between two sapphire surfaces. These cannot be scratched in normal operation.
Can CellDrop assess transfection efficiency?
Yes. The CellDrop FL has an App specifically for assessing GFP transfection efficiency.
Can I measure PBMCs?
Yes. Using the CellDrop FL along with the AO/PI viability assay, Cell counts and viability of PBMCs can be measured in the presence of red blood cells and other debris.

Purchase Options:

With the launch of the CellDrop Series of instruments, DeNovix is offering customers the ability to choose between two purchase options that best meet their needs. The two options are the Unlimited (UNLTD) and the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG). Below are the details for each option.

Unlimited (UNLTD)
– Similar to purchase of a microvolume spectrophotometer
– Customer pays an upfront price and instrument is “unlocked”
– Unlimited number of measurements can be made at no additional cost
Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG)
– Similar to purchase of other cell counters on the market: instrument requires a disposable slide to operate
– Customer pays a lower price upfront and then pays each time a sample is measured (the count price)
– The hardware price and the count price for the PAYG option is similar to other cell counters on the market
– Counts are purchased from DeNovix (or its distributors) and entered as a code into the instrument software
– Each code is instrument-specific
– PAYG instruments can be upgraded to UNLTD at any time; 50% of the count codes purchased will count as credit towards the upgrade price
– Count codes can be applied to a single user account or shared across specified user accounts
– This option is the ideal solution for labs with smaller capital budgets or lower sample throughput looking to acquire high performance and flexible instrumentation
– The number of measurements remaining can be viewed at any time in the Count Code App; users are also alerted when the counts remaining drops below a user-settable threshold

Specifications:

Resources:

DeNovix_CellDrop_eBrochure