Cell Metric
Cell Metric® is a small benchtop high-resolution whole well imaging system developed for cell line development, outgrowth optimization studies and cell culture processing
Cell Metric processes a single lidded microtiter plate which then removed and replaced with another one (either by hand or via a robot interface)
Cell Metric CLD
Cell Metric CLD Cell Metric® CLD is our premium version of the Cell Metric with a factory built-in, incubated plate loader for unattended imaging of 10 plates in a cassette
Click here to see a video of the Cell Metric CLD in action >
Cell Metric is part of a portfolio of products along with the VIPS for cell line development. Once the single cells are in the wells, then Cell Metric can be used to monitor the outgrowth, expansion and other key metrics in making choices of best clones to take forwards
Day 0 - single cell
Day 2 - divided into 2 cells
Day 7 onwards - colony
Key Features
- The Clonality Report which is a documentation package for providing assurance of clonality to the regulator as part of an IND. It includes all requirements cited by the FDA – whole well image, zoom in of single cell feature, explanation of any non-cell features, daily imaging history of single cell division and growth to a colony
- Batch summaries drastically reduce the amount of data storage required and just keep the clones of interest
- Imaging time of 3-4 minutes per plate in bright field with 100% focus guarantee across the whole plate. There is even illumination across the whole well so there are no dark edges where cells could be missed
- Bright field whole well imaging
- Imaging of settled suspension (typically CHO cells) or adherent cells
- Plate formats: typically, 96 and 384 well plates (but also 6, 12, 24, 48)
- Built-in barcode reader
- Output CSV files to facilitate robotic cherry-picking of best clones
- Connectivity with the VIPS single cell seeder so that the droplet images from VIPS and the whole well images from Cell Metric all end up in the same batch file and Clonality Report
- Option for remote data viewer licences – means that users can view data and analyse reports remotely at their desks rather than on the instrument computer
- Option for 2 colour fluorescence (Red/Green) developed for cloning method validation experiments
- Option for robot interface for the basic Cell Metric, where customer requires higher throughputs and integration with a third-party robot arm
- Option is available for IQ/OQ packages
| Metric Measured | Description | Graphic Representation |
|---|---|---|
| Assurance of clonality | Daily imaging of single cells growing into colonies for regulatory | The Clonality Report |
| Monitor Cell number | A direct count of the total number of cells per well | Plate map of cell numbers per well |
| Monitor Clone Growth | Measures percentage confluence or carpeting of the well base | Confluence % for each well which can then be compared with ELISA or Octet data |
| Growth rates and doublings | Uses the cell count to generate and automatically update (using plate and well ID) growth curves for each clone | Growth curves |
| Colony Detection | Measures number of colonies per well | Plate map of colonies per well |
| Option (new systems only): Viable Cell Count | Count live and dead cells based on Trypan Blue | Plate map of viable cell density for expansion plates |
| Option: Transfection Efficiency | Uses 2-colour fluorescence | Plate map of transfection efficiencies |
| Option: Validate cloning method e.g. FACS seeding | Uses 2-colour fluorescence | Plate map of wells with the fluorescent object count (for generating statistics) |
Benefits
- Even where customers are still using alternative cloning methods e.g. FACS, the Cell Metric can eliminate one round of cloning (which equates to a saving of 4-6 weeks per project)
- Cell Metric has the highest whole well image quality for these applications, is reliable and robust, and that is why the system is used to great success by the majority of the world’s top ten biopharmaceutical companies and CMDOs for biologics
- The plate loader with interchangeable cassettes on the Cell Metric CLD allows for higher throughput
- The system supports multiple users and projects without the need for expensive and potentially unreliable additional robotics
- A time-stamped image library is saved for each well, so users can toggle through time points and track back from a colony to confirm single-cell starting points (or to VIPS droplet)
- Selected images for wells identified as clonal can be rapidly assembled into the Clonality Report for inclusion as part of the IND regulatory package
- Bar coding ensures accurate clone tracking which is particularly important where customers move to 384 well plate formats
- Cell Metric can be used for multiple aspects of monitoring clonal outgrowth, optimising outgrowth and measuring expanded clones for best clone attributes for choice of scale-up