©2020 Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office.Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation
©2020 Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office.Imaging cytometers are automated instruments that quantify properties of single cells, one cell at a time. They combine some aspects of flow cytometry with particle imaging capabilities in an automated device to classify small particles, including phytoplankton and protozoa. They can measure a variety of properties: cell size, cell granularity, cell aspect ratio, equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) and area-based diameter (ABD) [to estimate bio-volume, which is used to estimate cell carbon biomass]. Particle images are digitally recorded and sorted into different classes according to training libraries using a support vector machine (supervised learning methods). The instruments particle-size is calibrated using different sizes of latex beads.
The FlowCam VS series are automated imaging-in-flow instruments that generate high-resolution digital images for measuring size and shape of microscopic particles. The sample introduced in the system is attracted by a peristaltic or a syringe pump into a flow cell (or flow chamber) with known dimensions, located in front of a microscope objective which is connected to a camera video. The benchtop model is ideally suited to a typical laboratory environment with applications in oceanographic research, municipal water, biopharmaceutical formulations, chemicals, oil and gas, biofuels, and many other markets. FlowCam VS is available in four models, from the imaging-only VS-I (i.e. without excitation wavelength or fluorescence emission wavelengths) to the top-of-the-line VS-IV with two channels of fluorescence measurement and scatter triggering capabilities. The instrument can measure particles between 2µm and 2mm; can analyse in vivo or fixed samples; has a flow rate between 0.005 ml/minute and 250 ml/minute (dependant upon magnification, flow cell depth, camera frame rate, efficiency desired, etc.). It can produce either 8-bit Grayscale (Monochrome Camera) or 24-bit Colour (Colour Camera) images, depending on the model.
| Dataset Name | PI-Supplied Description | PI-Supplied Name |
|---|---|---|
| FlowCAM enumeration of phytoplankton classes from samples taken during R/V Endeavor cruise EN616 in July 2018 | Particles were measured by Yokogowa FlowCAM imaging cytometer. Imaging cytometers are automated instruments that quantify properties of single cells, one cell at a time. They combine some aspects of flow cytometry with particle imaging capabilities in an automated device to classify small particles, including phytoplankton and protozoa. They can measure a variety of properties: cell size, cell granularity, cell aspect ratio, equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) and area-based diameter (ABD) [to estimate bio-volume, which is used to estimate cell carbon biomass]. Particle images are digitally recorded and sorted into different classes according to training libraries using a support vector machine (supervised learning methods). The instruments particle-size is calibrated using different sizes of latex beads. | Yokogowa FlowCAM imaging cytometer |
| Size-binned particle abundance and biovolume from FlowCam runs on the "SalpPOOP" cruise on R/V Tangaroa during October and November 2018 | okogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies FlowCam Model VS-IV | |
| Particle size, volume, and converted biomass from FlowCam runs on the "SalpPOOP" cruise on R/V Tangaroa during October and November 2018 | Yokogawa Fluid Imaging Technologies FlowCam Model VS-IV | |
| CTD-associated variables, bottle salinity measurements, oxygen titrations, nutrient analyses, biogeochemical/biological variables, and DIC/Freon chemistry variables from R/V Roger Revelle cruise RR2004 along the 150W meridian from 30S to 60S | Yokogowa FlowCAM imaging cytometer | |
| CTD-associated variables, bottle salinity measurements, oxygen titrations, nutrient analyses, biogeochemical/biological variables, and DIC chemistry variables from R/V Thomas G. Thompson cruise TN376 from January to March 2020 | Yokogowa FlowCAM imaging cytometer |