FURUKAWA ELECTRIC Launches the World's First Damage-Less Cell Sorter Suitable for Human iPS Cells and Stem Cells

Furukawa Electric (TOKYO:5801)(ISIN:JP3827200001) have commercialized the world's first damage-less cell sorter (PERFLOW Sort: http://www.furukawa.co.jp/bio/english/) for analyzing and sorting living cells, especially human induced pluripotential stem (iPS) cells and human embryonic stem (ES) cells with inducible pluripotency to differentiate into various cell types. Different from the conventional sorting methods using ultrasonic wave, charge and high pressure, which bring physical damage to cells, PERFLOW Sort adopts high-performed microflow control and fixed optical fiber alignment to monitor flow speed of target cells precisely, as guarantees living cells to be sorted with less physical damage. On the other hand, PERFLOW Sort adopts transmitted light signals instead of conventional forward scatter to achieve high-sensitivity analysis. Expectedly, the latest model of PERFLOW Sort with an improved cell flow conduit will be on sale from October, 2010 worldwide.

To apply stem cells in the practice of regenerative medicine, it is essential to use single cell-derived cells to ensure the pluripotency, uniformity and safety of those cells. However, human iPS/ES cells are so delicate that it is almost impossible to conduct single cell sorting by means of common methods so far. By use of PERFLOW Sort, the establishment of monoclonal human iPS /ES cells derived from single cells will become feasible.

We have already established the superiority of PERFLOW Sort in sorting human iPS cells in collaboration with Japanese researchers and have had achievements in domestic business. We are cooperating with the leading trading companies to expand its marketing worldwide. It is expected that PERFLOW Sort will promote the advancement of such frontier life science researches. We aim to achieve 2 billion yen (US$22 million) in sales in bio-instrument business mainly with PERFLOW Sort by 2015, which will make up of 80% of the market share in damage-less sorting of living cells.

• Background of development

A flow cytometer commonly detects scattered light signals and fluorescent signals irradiated with laser light to analyze at high speed the size, internal structure, genetic information, etc. of the cells. So far, flow cytometers adopt the high-speed droplet electric charge method using supersonic waves, high electric charge and high hydraulic pressure to sort target cells, which may cause considerable physical damage, and have an unneglected affection on the constitution of sorted living cells. For researches in living cells, especially the cells with inducible pluripotency including iPS cells, ES cells and somatic stem cells, however it is extremely important to acquire healthy single cells with their inherent qualities unchanged for further study.

• Product features

PERFLOW Sort has been launched as an easy-to-use benchtop instrument with a unique optical fiber alignment flow cell. It enables transmitted light measurement to monitor the rate of cell flow on a real-time basis. The transmitted light signals provide higher cell analysis accuracy than conventional forward scatter signals. PERFLOW Sort adopts non-droplet cell sorting method based on mechanical flow changeover instead of the common techniques including ultrasonic wave and high-voltage charging which might do damage to living cells. Moreover, PERFLOW Sort manipulates liquid with a water pressure that is less than one tenth of conventional systems. Thus, the non-droplet cell sorting method of PERFLOW Sort achieves cell sorting almost without any physical damage.

• Applications for human iPS cell as well as other stem cell researches

Passaging of human iPS/ES cell cultures is typically performed in the state of small masses of cells (clumps) since apoptosis (programmed cell death) frequently occurs after sorting of single cells due to their weakness against physical damage.

We have for the first time succeeded in generating monoclonal human iPS cells from single cells by using PERFLOW Sort.

Besides iPS cells, PERFLOW Sort is also expected to contribute to the frontier researches for regenerative medicine and drug discovery using other living cells with the potential of differentiation induction such as ES cells, somatic stem cells and cancer stem cells.