Flow Cytometry
Cell Staining by Marisela Agudelo
Surface Staining Protocol
- Take 1 x 106 cell suspension, spin down, and discard supernatant.
- Add 1mg of Fc block /106 cells and incubate on ice for 5 min.
- Add surface staining antibodies or isotype controls of choice and incubate 30 min. on ice.
- Wash cells with 2 ml of PBS/2%FCS, spin down, and discard supernatant.
- Slowly vortex pellet and add 1 ml of 1% paraformaldehyde.
- Wrap samples in foil and store at 4°C.
Titration of Abs and blocking reagents should be performed.
Combination of Surface & Intracellular (Indirect) Staining
- Take 1 x 106 cell suspension, spin down, and discard supernatant.
- Add 1mg of Fc block /106 cells + *normal serum incubate on ice for 10 min. Spin down 5 min. at 1200 RPM and discard all liquid.
- Do surface staining at this point, add surface staining antibody of choice, then wash cells 1X with PBS/2%FCS, and discard all liquid.
- VORTEX before adding Cytofix.
- Resuspend cells in 100 ul of Cytofix/Cytoperm solution, VORTEX, and incubate on ice for 20 min.
- Wash 2X with 1ml BD Perm/wash buffer (1:10 dilution in water) (1ml/1 x 106)
- Add primary antibody of choice and incubate on ice for 30 min.
- Wash 1X with 1 ml BD perm/wash
- Add Fc block + *normal serum.
- Add secondary antibody of choice and incubate on ice for 30 min.
- Wash 1X with 1ml of BD perm/wash buffer. Spin down and discard liquid.
- Wash cells in 1 ml PBS/2%FCS, spin down, and resuspend in 1 ml PBS/2%FCS.
- Wrap and store at 4°C. Analyze as soon as possible (<72hrs)
(*)Blocking serum must be from species where the secondary Ab was originated. Ex: if your 2º Ab is goat anti-mouse IgG, you should use normal goat serum.
Titration of Abs and blocking reagent should be performed.