Cellaca MX High-throughput Automated Cell Counter

Count 24 Samples in Less than 3 Minutes

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The High-Throughput Automated Cell Counter that Changes Everything

Your workflow will be streamlined and more efficient when you integrate the Cellaca MX with these capabilities:

Batch samples – run up to 24 samples at a time
Small sample volume – only 25 µl of cell sample required
Autofocus – fast autofocus prior to analysis
Cell based assays – data output at a single cell level enables you to do cell-based assays such as apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, protein expression (including GFP and RFP), and reactive oxygen species (ROS)
Time course reporting – effortlessly create growth curves with multiple samples at several time points using the customization tools
Automatic calculation – calculate various data points such as doubling time for individually labeled samples with an easy-to-use interface
Multiple configurations – choose to add up to five fluorescent filters
Automation ready – robotic integration ability with optional API
Customizable reports – add graphs, images, charts, and tables
Multi-language support – over 7,000 languages available
21 CFR Part 11 ready – optional add-on that includes audit trail, user access control, and digital signature

“Thank you Nexcelom for your excellent customer service and technical support! The Cellaca reduces time spent on cell counts fivefold for large scale experiments.”

Emmett E. Hedblom, Ph.D, TScan Therapeutics

Download the Tech Note

Overcoming Challenges in Primary Sample Processing with Animal Infectious Disease Models

You Don’t have to Limit Your Experimental Design

Run 24 samples in less than 3 minutes! No more reloading of individual slides or waiting for small batch counters to finish counting. With the Cellaca MX High-throughput Automated Cell Counter your experiments are no longer limited by the number of samples you can quickly and accurately count.

Multiple fluorescent filter options enable you to perform additional cell-based assays in minutes. With the Cell Fitness Panel you can get a quick check of the following cell health parameters:

Viability
Vitality
Apoptosis
Reactive oxygen species (ROS)

“The ease of use and fast, high-throughput capabilities definitely make the Cellaca MX the best cell counter on the market, even over the Beckman Vi-Cell which I’ve used for the past decade.”

Jasmine Ta, Eli Lilly

Assay Settings and Cell Type Parameters Ready to Use

With the Cellaca MX you can build your own assays or choose from the many assays already included in the software. In addition, there are over 200 cell types preloaded with optimized settings. Simply find your assay and cell type in the menu and you are ready to count.

“The Cellaca is a very useful instrument in our lab. It is very easy to use and we are able to count our samples quickly and accurately so that we can move onto our next steps. This saves on time and labor and gives us more confidence in our data.”

Katherine Henderson, Allen Institute for Immunology

Save Time with Simultaneous Imaging and Analysis

As soon as the first well has been acquired you can begin reviewing the images and data. No need to wait until the entire batch has been analyzed before starting to assess the results. Answers are available in seconds, not minutes.

The ability to add additional automation with robotic integration can further increase productivity.

screenshot simultaneous imaging and analysis

Figure 1. Wells in blue have been captured and analyzed. The green well is in progress of being analyzed. The orange well is next to be analyzed. Well A1 is selected and the AOPI image is displayed on screen (AO is green, PI is red). The report shows the number of live, dead and total cells counted for well A1.

High Accuracy at Fast Speeds

	Number of Samples	Amount of Time
Cellaca MX	24 480	48 seconds 30 minutes
Cell Counter V	12 480	36 minutes 24 hours

Table 1. Amount of time it takes to count cells with Trypan Blue on the Cellaca MX when compared to another cell counter.

“Fast and easy counting. It takes about only 5 min to count the 24 cells with its viability results and it has been super effective.”

Dasom Kim, MSKCC

The Cellaca MX offers significant time savings compared to manual counting and to other automated cell counters on the market. When performing a bright field cell count with trypan blue, 24 samples are counted in 48 seconds (Table 1).

See how Arctoris used the Cellaca High-throughput Cell Counter to improve their workflow

Accurate Results You Can Trust

The Cellaca MX has undergone rigorous testing and validation to ensure highly accurate results. In comparisons to manual counting with a hemocytometer, and Cellometer automated counters the Cellaca MX proves to be a highly accurate instrument. In addition, the Cellaca MX can warn the operator when the cell count is out of range (too few or too many cells in the sample) and will suggest a corrective course of action (concentrating or diluting the cell sample and by how much).

Close correlation to hemocytometer

In this study, three tubes of 5-micron polystyrene beads were diluted to a concentration of ~2×10⁶ beads/mL. To determine the concentration within each tube, 40 individual hemocytometer counts were performed for each tube. The Cellaca MX was then used to measure the concentration on the same set of tubes. The results show a very close correlation between the hemocytometer counted beads and the Cellaca MX counts.

Figure 2. A total of 18 Nexcelom Counting Plate (432 wells) were used over the 3 tubes of beads and had average CV values of < 4%.

	Hemo CV	Cellaca CV	Hemo Aveg	Cellaca Aveg	% Diff
Tube 1	4.46%	3.69%	2.03E+06	2.00E+06	1.20%
Tube 2	4.33%	3.64%	2.21E+06	2.16E+06	2.35%
Tube 3	4.28%	3.94%	2.10E+06	2.11E+06	0.71%

Table 2. The measured concentration difference between the Cellaca MX and the hemocytometer bead counts were between 0.7 – 2.3%.

Low plate-to-plate variability

Nexcelom Counting Plates are made in the USA to exacting standards. This ensures accurate cell counts you can trust across manufacturing lots of Nexcelom Counting Plates.

In a study of 1,992 individually loaded samples (83 plates) by multiple users over multiple weeks a count of ~ 2×10⁶ cells/mL CHO-s cells with trypan blue yielded a CV less than 6% (figure 3). The cumulative counting time for all 83 plates was 70 minutes.

Figure 3. CHO cells stained with trypan blue were shown to have a CV of 6% or less over 4 independent experiments totaling 83, 24-well plates (1,992 samples).

“After testing this cell counter and comparing it to other counting methods, we have seen that the Cellaca MX produces tighter/accurate counts and saves us time.”

Kimberly Sandy, Pfizer

Consistent Viability Measurement using Fluorescence

Count messy samples more accurately with fluorescence! With the Cellaca MX 2FL and 5FL models, you can eliminate red blood cells, platelets and debris from your counts using fluorescent nuclear stains. Acridine orange and propidium iodide are perfect for counting the nucleated cells in samples like PBMCs, patent samples, tumor digests and samples with lots of debris.

The advantage of fluorescent counting for primary cells

The images (Figure 4) demonstrate the advantage of fluorescent counting for primary cells. The bright field image shows the combination of nucleated cells, red blood cells and platelets present in the sample. Only the live and dead nucleated cells are visualized and counted in the green and red fluorescent channels.

“The Cellaca MX high-throughput cell counter has streamlined the development efforts of our cell therapy product. The instrument combines the accuracy we require for cell viability measurements using the dual live/dead fluorescent dyes with the automation needed for intensive characterization studies. The time savings for our team with the increased speed and automation will easily justify the cost of the instrument.”

Will Heaton, DiscGenics

Figure 4. Several red blood cells are indicated in the bright field image (above, left). The red blood cells are not visible in the fluorescent image (above, right) detecting cells stained with nuclear staining dye.

Count Clumpy Cells using Declustering Algorithm

Figure 5. The above image shows cells counted with trypan blue on the Cellaca MX. The software automatically declusters and counts individual live cells (in green outlines) and trypan blue positive dead cells (in red).

When working with clumpy cells you can apply declustering settings to identify and individually count each cell in your sample to get highly accurate counts.

“Incredibly fast, and saves time and effort. So amazing! No instrument fluidics to be maintained, it analyzes cell lines or primary cells like T cells, PBMCs and tumor digest, incorporate robotics with an API compatible instrument. It is fast enough to count 24 samples in less than 2.5 minutes. Good value for money in general!”

Isabella Akwi, Ernest Cook Mengo

Customizable Reports

Export reports as CSV, Excel, Word, or PDF files. Use default reports or customize based on the data and images you want included for the assay that was run. Statistical analysis can be included for various parameters. Different languages are available for reporting.

Mix the Sample within the Plate

Nexcelom’s unique proprietary patented technology allows the user to mix the cell sample and the viability dye or staining reagent in a single well within the plate. The built-in capillary mechanism ensures even distribution across the wells. Therefore, providing a completely processed sample set for imaging, accurate counting, and analysis. There is no longer the need to perform these steps in a separate tube.

Learn more about the Nexcelom high-throughput counting plates

The Nexcelom Counting Plate for Cellaca has 24 chambers for cell samples

Facilitates 21 CFR Part 11 Compliance

Figure 6. Different user roles can be assigned in 21 CFR Part 11 module. An electronic signature can be applied to the results.

An optional module can be purchased to meet the FDA requirements for 21 CFR Part 11. The additional module comes with the following features:

User login with passwords
User assigned permissions
Audit trail
Error log files
Electronic signatures

Cell Fitness Panel on the Cellaca MX

There are many parameters that can indicate the fitness of your samples but this is the first time that these parameters have been combined into a single kit to allow you to better examine samples of interest. These individual tests provide potential insight into sample quality. These tests can be run on the Cellaca MX FL2 or FL5. The Cell Fitness Panel includes the following tests:

Viability – AO/PI (Acridine Orange and Propidium Iodide) – Using AO/PI allows for the identification, enumeration of mononuclear cells, and provides cell viability in the counted sample without a RBC lysing step.

Cell Fitness Panel Vitality/Enzymatic Activity

Vitality/Enzymatic Activity – Calcein AM/PI – By looking at the conversion of non-fluorescent calcein AM to green fluorescent calcein we can measure the number and concentration of both metabolically active live cells as well as non-viable cells in a given population.

Reactive Oxygen Species – Total ROS – While reactive oxygen species (ROS) are natural by-products of normal metabolism, during oxidative stress-related events, the accumulation of ROS can result in significant damage to cell structures. Cultures that are positive for ROS may signal unhealthy culture conditions that can lead to apoptosis and cell death.

Mid-Stage Apoptosis – Annexin V/PI – An assay commonly carried out by researchers interested in performing functional assays to measure the percent of live, apoptotic, and necrotic cells in a sample. May serve as an early indicator of an unhealthy cell population.

Late-Stage Apoptosis – Caspase 3/7 – Early or mid-stage apoptotic cells may recover or may progress to late stage apoptosis. A cell culture with a high number of caspase 3/7 positive cells may be in trouble. In this assay the executioner caspase is detected as a bright nuclear signal.

Cellaca MX Specifications

The Cellaca MX is available in different configurations. Each is field upgradeable to allow your instrument to configure to your experimental needs and quickly drive to deeper cellular insights.

	Cellaca MX BF	Cellaca MX FL2	Cellaca MX FL5
Channels	Brightfield	Brightfield, Green, Red	Brightfield, Blue, Green, Red, Far Red
Number of Channels	1	4	14
Excitation LED	N/A	470, 527	365, 470, 527 and 620 nm
Emissions Filters	N/A	534, 655	452, 534, 605, 655 and 692 nm
Commonly Used Compatible Dyes	Trypan Blue	Trypan Blue, AO/PI	Trypan Blue, AO/PI, Hoechst, DAPI, GFP, RFP, CMFDA, Calcein AM, 7AAD, Annexin V
Counting Speed Per 24 Samples	48 seconds	Trypan Blue – 48 seconds Fluorescence – Less than 3 minutes	Trypan Blue – 48 seconds Fluorescence – Less than 3 minutes
Volume (per well)	25 µL – 100 µL sample volume 50 µL – 200 µL total well volume	25 µL – 100 µL sample volume 50 µL – 200 µL total well volume	25 µL – 100 µL sample volume 50 µL – 200 µL total well volume
Size/Diameter Range	5 – 80 µm	5 – 80 µm	5 – 80 µm
Concentration Range	1×10⁵ – 1×10⁷	1×10⁵ – 1×10⁷	1×10⁵ – 1×10⁷
Fluorescence Upgradeable	Yes	Yes (add additional colors)	N/A
IQ/OQ Option	Yes	Yes	Yes
21 CFR Part 11 Ready Option	Yes	Yes	Yes
Automation Compatible	Yes	Yes	Yes
Operating System	Windows 10	Windows 10	Windows 10
Dimensions	13 in x 13 in x 16 in (33 cm x 33 cm x 41 cm)	13 in x 13 in x 16 in (33 cm x 33 cm x 41 cm)	13 in x 13 in x 16 in (33 cm x 33 cm x 41 cm)
Weight	40 lbs (18 kg)	42 lbs (19 kg)	42 lbs (19 kg)

Cellaca MX Resources

Manuals

Brochures

Scientific Posters

Scientific Papers

Characterization of a novel high-throughput high-speed and high-precision plate-based image cytometric cell counting method

News

The Cellaca MX High-throughput Cell Counter from Nexcelom Bioscience has been nominated for a Scientists’ Choice Award

Videos

Unboxing and Getting Started with Cellaca MX

Cellaca MX: Unboxing & Getting Started

Speed Up Your Cell Counting