September 15, 2016 (Vol. 36, No. 16)
Rating:
Strong Points: Free tool, can find products for your experiments
Weak Points: Lag time in displaying results
Summary:
Flow cytometry experiments can get very complicated very quickly, as they often involve the use of multiple fluorescent indicators to define and sort the cell populations of interest. Fluorofinder is an easy-to-use and (best of all) free online tool that simplifies the process of planning one’s array of fluorophores to be used in a given experiment (the so-called “panel”). In registering for a free account, site visitors are able to specify the exact core facility and machine that will be used for their experiments. Thus, the exact specifications of the machine (including the available laser lines and the corresponding compatible dyes) are right at one’s fingertips. Users “build” their panels by specifying the markers/antigens that they’d like to include. In the case of antigens, users can also specify the target/host species, isotype, and clone to view a list of products sold by a number of suppliers with those specifications. Panels can be saved or submitted to your research core for review.
