Automation in flow cytometry: Guidelines and review of systems.

Automation in flow cytometry has recently advanced from the partial laboratory automation and robotics islets, to more fully integrated systems. This article reviews three manufacturers' newest sample preparation systems: the Beckman CellMek, the Sysmex PS-10, and the BD FACSDuet. These three instruments are capable of performing many of the manual steps in flow cytometry sample processing (pipetting, staining, lysing, washing, fixing). General description, capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages of each system are compared. Overall, these systems have the potential to become mainstay items in today's busy clinical flow cytometry laboratories, and save a significant amount of hands-on time for laboratory staff.