CASY - Cell Counter and Analyzer
Cell counting & quality control with no limits
CASY cell counter and analyzer – always the best choice, whatever you want to analyze. From large stem cells aggregates to small yeast or even bacteria. CASY provides unmatched precision and reproducibility.
CASY can do it all – the unique detection mechanism will support you even with challenging applications.
CASY® Cell Counter works fully automated. Stains or dyes become obsolte – no interferences from dyes, combined with minimum work effort.
Learn more about the different applications of the CASY (you will be forwarded to the OLS webpage)
Benefits
Looking for cell counter – choose CASY
- Highest reproducibility and accuracy, whatever you want to analyze
- No Sample preparation, easy use
- Fast results at low cost
- Transparent results and quality control
- Thousands of publications and thousands of installations
- GMP/GLP compliant
- Optional 21CFR Part 11 module
Principle of Function
CASY measures the conductivity between 2 electrodes separated by a defined pore. Cells are suspended in CASYton, a defined buffer solution. During measurement, cells passing through the pore generate an electrical pulse. The intensity of the signal directly correlates with the volume of the cell. Hence CASY detects the volume of each cell passing through the pore.
For hundreds of our GMP/GLP customers we regularly recertify a consistent precision allowing a maximum variation below ±2%.
See life as it is – stain free viability control.
CASY’s superior detection technology combining Electronic Current Exclusion (ECE) and Pulse Field Analysis (integration of cell signal at 1MHZ while passing through the pore) enable the accurate determination of viability without any influence by staining, focusing, etc.
Viable cells are detected with full cell volume as the cell membrane provides a barrier for current.
Dead cells have lost resistance from cytoplasmic membrane. Instead the much smaller volume of the nucleus is detected that can very well be distinguished.
Aggregation – nothing to worry about.
As CASY determines the volume of each cell with a precision of ±2%, it does the same with aggregates. Unlike optical measurements which either ignore aggregates or try to draw some rings into rather low contrast images of them, CASY uses mathematically correct volume-based aggregation correction. Basically, CASY will see how often a single cell fits into each aggregate detected. Mean Volume and Mean Size even indicate changes in the level of aggregation, for example when working with induced Pluripotent Stem cells (iPSC).
The only thing CASY cannot beat is statistic – CASY provides precise, accurate and reproducible results over a wide range of cell concentration. The only limit is given by statistical significance. In other words, counting only 300 cells will result in higher variation and standard deviation compared to counting more than 1.000 or even 10.000 cells per measurement. But even for very low concentrated cells, especially when they are very valuable to you or limited in amount, CASY has a solution to improve results – simply increase the measured volume to up to 3.6ml.
Here customers from Switzerland prepared 6 measurements of keratinocytes and compared the results. Even before looking at the results in numbers, the overlay of size distributions shows the high reproducibility of results. The high reproducibility which is independent of users and locations make CASY a great instrument in Biotech or Pharma especially when operations are mirrored at different locations.
Advantages
Size matters – what cell volume can tell you
CASY’s golden rule: If you have not changed anything, but the size distribution looks different versus normal, pay attention, there may be something you don’t know about your cells.
CASY’s volume based cell size distribution provides much more information than simply size. It can:
- Show level of homogeneity of cells
- Identify and quantify aggregation
- Provide indication of multiple cell types in a culture
- Provide insight in the status of your cells
- Warn you in case of contaminations
The shape of the peak shows the homogeneity of cells.
Sharp peaks represent extremely homogeneous cells like unstimulated CD4 T Cell or stem cells from cord blood.
Medium size peaks are a more common type of distribution found with many cell types including fibroblasts or lager yeast.
Finally, broad peaks are common size distributions for extremely heterogenous cells, like mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).
Asymetric peak shape, like shown here, is a result of aggregation and can be easily analyzed using CASY’s volume based aggregation correction.
CASY Cell Counter and Analyzer is an excellent tool to identify changes in cell size extremely sensitively.
- Increasing volumes, e.g. (baculo-) virus infection or starvation
- Decreasing volumes, e.g. osmotic or effect of treatments
CASY can identify mixtures of different cell population like shown here
- Mixture of high & low concentrated cell types, e.g. contamination or unwanted differentiation with stem cells
- Mixture of equally concentrated cell types
CASY can also do things which seem impossible for other counters. It can determine contamination of media. Whenever there is a peak in a size range not expected (red), it may be the right time to measure pure media (green) to check for contamination.
Software
CASY - All Star
Generations of scientist have successfully trusted CASY globally for decades and CASY is continuously improving performance. As a result, CASY has been used in several thousands of publications and the list is increasing each year. A list by far too long to be presented here. Feel free to challenge us! Tell us what you are doing in cell counting and we will come up with a better solution, supported by the right publications.
In 2018 the new CASY was launched combining the existing superior measurement principle with a new state of the art control and analytical software.
Keyboard or Mouse, physical or virtual Keyboard, whatever you choose, one thing remains – the easy and intuitive use of CASY!
The new CASY Software comes in 2 versions. The Control-Version includes all functions to control the instrument and also allows analysis of the generated data. The Analysis-Version equals the other version but without the instrument control module. Hence it allows to analyze your data while others can measure new samples.
Some highlights of the new software include
- User Management (3 different user levels)
- Analysis of single measurements, Overlays or even Mean results
- Unlimited number of templates
- Results are organized in a database
- Data safety
- Great reporting tools (customizable)
- Easy access and export of Meta and Primary Data
- User Support by wizards, like start up or shut down guide
- Active Directory user management (module is available as option)
- 21 CFR Part 11 ready (module is available as option)
CASY Software Trial
Getting curious? Contact us for a free trial version. You can even import existing CASY data from older versions
REQUEST TRIAL
Applications
Counting cell lines is one of the easiest tasks for CASY Cell Counter and Analyzer. CASY is probably one of the most flexible counters available. There is no need to spend much time thinking about which counter may be best for your application.
CASY – can do it all
No compromises or tradeoffs, whether you work with cell lines or primary cells, PBMCs or stem cells, yeast or bacteria. The easily exchangeable capillaries get you ready for the future.
Read more about all CASY applications
CASY Upgrade
This new CASY instrument comes with a wealth of new possibilities in data organization and data evaluation. Do you already own a CASY system? Have a look at the new possibilities for your CASY Instrument
REQUEST UPGRADE
Accessories for CASY System
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