Shapiro Howard M, Perlmutter Nancy G
The Center for Microbial Cytometry, West Newton, MA 02465-2513, USA.
Cytometry A. 2006 Jul;69(7):620-30. doi: 10.1002/cyto.a.20284.
Although some manufacturers have optimistically described instruments with prices in the 40,000 US dollars range as "personal cytometers", analogy with the personal computer suggests that the target price for a true "personal" cytometer should be under 5,000 US dollars. Since such an apparatus could find a wide range of applications in cytomics in both developing and developed countries, it seemed desirable to consider its technical and economic feasibility.
Using resolution targets and a variety of fluorescent bead standards immobilized on filters and/or slides, we evaluated high-intensity LEDs as fluorescence excitation sources, relatively inexpensive CCD cameras as detectors, and 35 mm camera lenses and plastic low-power microscope optics for light collection in a simple, inexpensive low-resolution imaging cytometer.
The components tested could be combined toproduce an instrument capable of detecting fewer than 10,000 molecules of cell-associated fluorescent label, and thus applicable to a broad range of cytometric tasks.
Given the requirements for light sources, detectors, optics, mechanics, electronics and data analysis hardware and software, and the components presently available, it should be easier to reach the desired 5,000 US dollars price point with an image cytometer than with a flow cytometer.
尽管一些制造商乐观地将价格在4万美元左右的仪器描述为“个人细胞仪”，但与个人电脑相比，真正“个人”细胞仪的目标价格应低于5000美元。由于这种仪器在发展中国家和发达国家的细胞组学中都能找到广泛的应用，因此考虑其技术和经济可行性似乎是可取的。
我们使用分辨率目标以及固定在滤膜和/或载玻片上的各种荧光微珠标准品，在一台简单、廉价的低分辨率成像细胞仪中，评估了高强度发光二极管作为荧光激发源、相对廉价的电荷耦合器件相机作为探测器，以及35毫米相机镜头和塑料低倍显微镜光学元件用于光收集的情况。
所测试的组件可以组合起来制造出一台能够检测与细胞相关的荧光标记物少于10000个分子的仪器，因此适用于广泛的细胞检测任务。
考虑到对光源、探测器、光学元件、机械装置、电子设备以及数据分析硬件和软件的要求，以及目前可用的组件，用图像细胞仪达到期望的5000美元价格点应该比用流式细胞仪更容易。
