MULTI-SPECTRAL FILTER PROFILING AND QUALITY CONTROL FOR FLOW CYTOMETRY

摘要

Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical filters in a flow cytometer and optionally checking the operation of detectors in the flow cytometer. In some embodiments, the system may utilize an LED board having an opening through which the fluorescence and side scatter beams, rays, or images pass and light emitting diodes around the opening that emit light having different spectral profiles. The different spectral profiles allow the system to identify the optical filters that are placed in the flow cytometer, to verify detector operation, to assist in instrumentation troubleshooting, and to provide a quantitative reference for detector comparison.

主权项

1. A flow cytometry system comprising:
at least one sample illumination source, wherein each sample illumination source is configured to deliver light to a corresponding sample location, thereby causing sample light to be emitted by or scattered off of particles in the corresponding sample location; focusing optics that are configured to direct the sample light from each sample location along one or more optical paths, wherein each optical path passes through a corresponding one or more optical filter elements and terminates at a corresponding detector that is configured to produce output data indicative of the measured intensity of light reaching that detector; a calibration light source that is configured to independently emit different spectral profiles of calibration light, each spectral profile of calibration light having one or more peaks at different wavelengths, such that the emitted calibration light is directed along at least a portion of each of the optical paths; one or more processors; and a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
receive the output data from each of the detectors responsive to that detector receiving calibration light from the calibration light source, anddetermine filtering characteristics for the optical filter elements along each optical path by analyzing the output data produced during the emission of at least two different spectral profiles of calibration light by the calibration light source.