Beckman Coulter Life Sciences launches industry-first infrared dye antibody conjugates to expand human phenotyping experiments

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a Danaher company and a global leader in laboratory automation and innovation, announces the launch of its new IR820 and IR870 infrared dye antibody conjugates. 

For the first time, research flow cytometry labs have a low noise solution, including single laser excitation, no dye interferences along with negligible overlap with other fluorochome emissions, and ultralow autofluorescence background.

IR820 and IR870 reagents are the industry’s first directly conjugated antibodies for infrared excitation. The reagents are ideal for lineage marker staining, offering phenomenal brightness to clearly identify respective gating antigens, while leaving detection of non-infrared dyes uncompromised due to near-to-complete absence of spectral overlap. Lineage gating markers now can be added, or if already existing in the antibody panel, moved far away from commonly used spectral ranges where typically the most precious dim signals reside.

“As high-parameter flow cytometry becomes more mainstream, antibody panel design gets even more crucial due to tightening complex spectral interference patterns that can reduce data quality,” said Pietro Lopriore, Vice President and General Manager of the Flow Cytometry Business Unit. “Our IR820 and IR870 infrared dye conjugates with their low noise design remove complexities and make the infrared spectral range a premium place for lineage markers, allowing for a more flexible antibody panel design. By enabling greater clarity, we’re able to uniquely empower researchers in an exciting new frontier of human phenotyping experiments.”

Current flow cytometry fluorochrome conjugates do not cover the infrared range. Lineage markers used for identification of major subpopulations typically reside in the same spectral ranges as probes for weak co-expressed antigens, enabling characterization of subpopulations and their functional status. By this spectral colocalization, typically bright lineage markers may compromise resolution and sensitive detection of their dimmer co-expressed companions.

We recently tested the CD3 IR820 infrared flow cytometry antibody, and we are thoroughly impressed with the results.

By using markers in these channels, we can reserve the other channels for other additional markers that are less common, which is crucial for complex multi-parameter assays. Given the clear separation and minimal interference with other channels, we highly recommend this infrared antibody for anyone looking to expand their flow cytometry panels.”

Dr. Theo Gerdener, Head of immune phenotyping, ABJ Oncology Pretoria, South Africa

This addition to the Beckman Coulter Life Sciences reagent portfolio is ideal for users of IR-equipped CytoFLEX LX and S instruments, including spectral with the mosaic detection module, to extend human phenotyping experiments into an easy-to-navigate spectral range. IR820 and IR870 are non-tandem dyes which can be excited at 808 nm and emit with maximal intensity at 835 and 896 nm, corresponding to the 840/20 nm and 885/40 nm or similar bandpass filters. The Research Use Only reagents comprise CD3, CD4, CD8, CD14, CD20 and CD45 specificities and are manufactured under current good manufacturing practices.