Bio-Plex-200 system
The Bio-Plex Suspension Array system uses Luminex’s licensed xMAP technology to enable multiplexing of up to 100 different assays in a single sample. This technique uses 100 sets of distinctly colored beads created by using two fluorescent dyes in different proportions. In a sandwich immunoassay, an antibody to a specific analyte is attached to one set of beads of the same color, and the second antibody to the analyte is attached to a fluorescent dye. A dual-detection flow cytometer is used to identify the different assays on the basis of the color of the beads in one channel, and to quantify the analyte by measuring the fluorescence of the reporter fluorochrome (often PE) in another channel.
Once the analytes have been captured and coupled to the detection antibodies, the Bio-Plex instrument is used to detect the identity and determine the quantity of the analytes.
The Bio-Plex Array Reader comprises four different components:
- Fluidics: the Bio-Plex Array Reader detects individual beads by flow cytometry. The reader’s fluidic system aligns beads in single file as they enter a stream of sheath fluid, and then into a flow cell. Once the beads are in single file in the flow cell, each bead is individually interrogated to determine its color (analyte) and test signal intensity (phycoerythrin fluorescence intensity).
- Lasers: the reader is a dual-laser system. The 532 nm yellow-green laser (green “reporter” laser) is used to excite the phycoerythrin (PE) dye in the assay, e.g. the streptavidin-PE used for sandwich immunoassays. The 635 nm solid-state laser (red “classification” laser) is used to excite the dyes inside the beads to determine their “color” or “region”, and is also used for doublet discrimination by light scattering.
- Optics: the reader contains an optical bench with four detection channels. The two lasers are precisely focused to excite an individual bead inside the quartz flow cell. Once excited, the fluorescent signal emitted by the bead travels through the optical pathways to the various detectors.
- Detectors: The reader has four detectors, one for each of the optical paths illustrated in the figure above. A high-sensitivity photomultiplier tube (PMT) is used for the reporter channel. Photodiodes are used for the stronger signals of the CL1 and CL2 classification and doublet discrimination channels.
Two washing systems are available on our platform.
Bio-Plex Pro wash station
The Bio-Plex Pro wash station eliminates the need for manual washing of Bio-Plex tests. It is specially designed to perform the washing steps of Bio-Plex tests, but is compatible with all standard xMAP tests.
Bio-Plex handheld Magnetic Washer
