The Pluto System: Automating Flow Cytometry Sample Preparation Without Breaking The Bank

Are you striving to automate your flow cytometry workflows without breaking the bank? Automation is transforming the landscape of sample preparation, making precision and efficiency accessible to a broader range of users. The Curiox C-FREE Pluto System, with its innovative technologies, offers a streamlined, cost-effective solution for immune profiling, ensuring accuracy and consistency for flow cytometry workflows.

What does Automated Sample Preparation Mean for Flow Cytometry Users? 

Automation in sample preparation goes beyond eliminating tedious manual steps—it redefines how researchers approach flow cytometry. For users in clinical research, translational studies, or discovery labs, automation means:

1. Improved reproducibility: Reducing variability caused by manual handling ensures consistent results across experiments and operators [1].
2. Time efficiency: Automated systems free researchers from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on data analysis and interpretation [2].
3. Traceability: Automated systems trace every step performed in the sample preparation process boosting confidence in and allowing cross-checking of workflows.

Addressing Common Challenges in Flow Cytometry Sample Preparation

Manual methods like centrifugation and pipetting introduce variability, mechanical stress, and potential cell loss. These challenges often compromise data quality and make it difficult to standardize workflows [3]. Automated systems, such as the Pluto workstation, tackle these issues head-on by employing patent-pending Pluto Wash, which ensures gentle yet effective sample handling. Unlike other systems commercially available, the Pluto system is very affordable with a list price starting at $50K USD.

How Does the Pluto System Streamline Your Workflow?

Pluto Wash: Gentle and Thorough Cleansing

The Pluto Wash process removes unwanted materials while replenishing fresh wash buffer, minimizing mechanical stress. Unlike Centrifugation, which can deform or rupture cell membranes, the Pluto Wash preserves cell integrity, reducing ‘cell leaking’ and improving staining reliability [4]. Specifically, gentle liquid handling by the Pluto Wash process minimizes stress on cells, preserving their viability and ensuring accurate immune profiling.

Automation is Cost-Effective, Not Costly

Adopting advanced technologies does not need to strain your budget. The Pluto system offers scalable solutions suitable for diverse lab sizes and budgets, making automation accessible to both small labs and large institutions. By minimizing reagent waste and operator time, the Pluto workstation ensures a return on investment while providing comparable data quality [5].

Real-World Impact: Insights From Experts

Dr. Holden Maecker, Director of the Human Immune Monitoring Center at Stanford University, highlights the transformative potential of automated sample preparation. His team observed improvements in staining consistency and cell retention using Pluto LT, particularly for challenging markers like CD20 and IFN-gamma [6]. These advancements underscore the importance of gentle liquid handling and reduced manual intervention in achieving reliable immune profiling. 

As shown in data from the CYTO 2024 Stanford Pluto Poster, the Pluto LT system demonstrated superior staining indices for B cells and IFN-gamma-producing T cells compared to manual centrifugation (Figure 1). 

Figure 1. Staining index comparison for the Pluto  system versus manual preparation for CD20+ B cells and IFN-gamma-producing T cells. 

The Curiox C-FREE product portfolio currently includes three versions of the super affordable Pluto system featuring the unique workstation capabilities highlighted above. These are the HT (High Throughput with a 96-channel liquid handling head), MT (Mid Throughput with a 24-channel liquid handling head), and LT (Low Throughput with an 8-channel liquid handling head) systems. By offering systems that support different throughput needs, you are able to get the exact right fit for your lab and current workflow.