Dispensing Microalgae

Microalgae inhabit a wide variety of marine and freshwater habitats around the globe and can additionally be cultured in a lab setting. Isolating individual cultured or natural microalgal cells has traditionally been reliant on conventional cell sorters. However, these high-pressure systems (20-70 psi) can easily compromise the integrity of the sorted cells.

Namocell’s single cell dispensing platform offers a gentle alternative to traditional cell sorters, with an operating pressure of <2 psi. The Namo Single Cell Dispenser is equipped with a 488nm blue laser and three fluorescent detection channels: FITC (533nm), PE (585nm) and PerCP (676nm). Green algae are abundant with chloroplasts containing chlorophyll pigments, which are responsible for their characteristic green appearance. These pigments absorb blue light and emit red light (680 nm), making them easily detectable by the PerCP channel. Explore how the Namo was used to isolate individual microalgae directly from pond water with minimal handling and preparation. In addition to utilizing the autofluorescence of green algal cells, the nucleic acid dye SYTO® 16 was used to distinguish DNA-containing cells from debris in the FITC detection channel.