COPAS instruments differ technically from traditional flow cytometers in two very important ways. First, our large bore fluidics and flow cells can accommodate much larger objects, and they work at much lower pressures, greatly reducing the stresses associated with traditional flow cytometry. Second, our patented pneumatic sorting mechanism works with a gentle puff of air. This is much less harmful than the electrostatic charges used by traditional flow cytometers, and results in sorting of live animals, cells, cell clusters and fragile combinatorial chemistry beads with no detectable effect on viability or integrity.

Our COPAS instruments are available in four models, each optimized for a particular object size range. Many optional features allow us to customize an instrument specifically for your needs. Please contact us to discuss how we can help you accomplish research projects that you would never have considered without our automated analysis, sorting and dispensing system.

Our COPAS 500 large particle flow cytometer features a 500 micron flow cell and is optimized to sort objects from 120 to 300 microns. This is one of our most versatile systems, ideal for use by multiple labs with different applications. Applications include all stages of C. elegans, Drosophila embryos to first instar larvae, other like-sized model organisms, cells, pollen, seeds and beads even delicate cell clusters such as pancreatic islets and embryoid bodies. Analysis is performed based on up to five parameters size, optical density, and three fluorescent spectra. Sorting is based on user-defined ranges of these parameters, and achieved using our patented pneumatic mechanism which sorts live organisms without affecting their viability. Objects are then dispensed into most multiwell plate formats, or into a bulk receptacle.