Use of a spherical multiparameter transducer for flow cytometry.

Fused silicon dioxide, multiparameter flow transducers with 50 microns internal square cross section and approximately 60 microns length can simultaneously measure DC and RF impedance as well as fluorescence and multiple-angle light scattering. A spherical version of such a transducer was mounted in an EPICS CVA flow-cell housing and was installed on a research prototype equipped with an argon-ion laser. The signal that was produced by the spherical transducer with EPICS DNA-Check beads was 1.73 times greater than that produced with the standard cylindrical flow cell. Similarly, with EPICS Immuno-Brite beads, the average ratio was 1.96. The Coulter impedance and light-scattering measurements were similar to those produced with the conventional cylindrical outside flow cell, although the internal cross section of the sphere was square and that of the cylinder was circular. The theoretical arguments of Leif and Wells have been demonstrated to be correct. At present, monolithic, spherical fused-silica transducers are the optimal design for combined electrooptical, multiparameter flow cytometry analyzers.