Pala Single Cell Sorter and Dispenser
Pala is a versatile and gentle benchtop single cell sorter and dispenser. Equipped with 2 excitation lasers, this instrument is capable of detecting and isolating single cells utilizing a wide range of fluorescent molecules and stains. Pala combines high single cell dispensing accuracy in both 96 & 384 well plates and gentle bulk sorting capabilities.
Meet Pala: The Benchtop Single Cell Sorter for Any Lab
By combining proprietary microfluidics, flow cytometry, and liquid dispensing technologies, this benchtop cell sorter automates and simplifies single cell isolation across various applications – cell line development, cell engineering, single cell multiomics, monoclonal antibody development, and enrichment of rare cells. The Pala Single Cell Sorter and Dispenser is affordable, easy-to-use, low maintenance instrument, and requires minimal training to operate!
Product Highlights
Virtual Demo with Rachel Talis
Discover how the Pala Single Cell Sorter and Dispenser is transforming single-cell isolation through advanced microfluidics, flow cytometry, and precise, gentle cell sorting. Watch this virtual demonstration to see the technology in action.
A More Perfect Disease Model: Engineered iPSCs from Innovation to Discovery
Join leading researchers as they reveal how targeted iPSC engineering is transforming disease modeling and accelerating discovery. Our two expert speakers will discuss how iPSCs are enabling highly specific control for more reproducible and patient relevant discovery.
Redefining Single Cell Isolation for Cell Line Development
In this webinar, you will see how the Pala is redefining single cell isolation by combining innovative microfluidics technology with flow cytometry and liquid dispensing to sort and dispense single cells into 96-well or 384-well plates in minutes in a virtual demonstration.
How Can Pala Help You?
What level of single cell accuracy (1 cell/well) can Pala achieve?
Across 3 cell lines we tested in-house (HEK293, CHO, and A549), Pala achieved between 70-90% single cell deposition accuracy across almost 60 plates (96-well) dispensed. The rate of non-clonal well (2 or more cells/well) typically is below 4% in 96 or 384 well plates. Importantly, Pala can achieve this in less than 2 minutes/96-well plate which is unmatched by most dispensers and single cell sorters. Limited Dilution pipetting, on the other hand, achieves only between 10-25% single cell accuracy in 96 well plates and is highly dependent on accurate cell counting and dilutions.
Figure, Left: Single cell dispensing accuracy (1 cell/well) as determined by plate based imaging. HEK293, CHO, and A549 were dispensed with Pala or Limiting Dilution pipetting (~60 x 96 well plates). For simplicity, Limiting Dilution data is displayed as an average across all cell lines.
How well do single cells dispensed with Pala grow compared to using a gentle method like Limiting Dilution?
In our testing, we have observed no adverse impacts on cell/colony health when sorting with Pala compared to using Limiting Dilution pipetting. Due to the higher single cell deposition accuracy of Pala over Limiting Dilution, this results in increased numbers of colonies per plate. This data has been corroborated across all cell lines we have tested (CHO, A549, HEK293, and iPSCs). In fact, we have observed better colony outgrowth efficiency and doubling times in most of the cell types we have tested. Since Pala has fluorescence capabilities, it allows users to select cells based on viability or other parameters that can increase the likelihood of single cell outgrowth and colony health.
Figure, Left: Outgrowth efficiency of single cells was measured across three cell lines (HEK293, CHO, and A549) dispensed with Pala compared to Limited Dilution pipetting. Pala shows similar or better rates of single cells growing into colonies than Limited Dilution pipetting indicating Pala's gentle ability to dispense single cells. Due to the higher single cell deposition accuracy of Pala over Limiting Dilution, this results in increased numbers of colonies per plate.
How does Pala mitigate contamination risks while sorting and sample-to-sample carryover?
Pala is a compact, benchtop system that can be used inside a biosafety cabinet for sterile use. The system can be sterilized with bleach/ethanol on an as needed basis and sorting carried out with cell culture grade water or PBS. The sorting cartridges are sterile and individually wrapped and do not allow sorted cells to contact the instrument's fluidics. Separate cell samples can simply be loaded into separate cartridges to completely avoid sample-to-sample carryover risks.
Pala is an innovative, easy-to-use system, supported by world class customer support.
The Pala system is automated and easy-to-use with an intuitive software interface. There is no extensive training or specialized expertise required. If you’re not sure, call tech support and we’ll be happy to help!
Instrument Specifications
| Description | Single Cell Dispensing | Bulk Sorting |
| Excitation Laser Combos | 405/488 or 488/561 | |
| Light Scatter | Forward & Axial Light Loss | |
| Fluorescence Channels | 11 (405/488) or 9 (488/561) | |
| Laser Modes | Single or Dual | |
| Input Sample Volume | 100-600 µL | |
| Input Sample Density | 100 cells - 1M cells/mL | |
| Dispensing Volume | 1 µL/cell | As low as 25 nL/cell |
| Dispensing Format | 96 or 384 well plates | Microcentrifuge tube |
| Dispense Speed | < 2 min/96 well plate | Up to 50 events/sec |
| Rare Cell Enrichment | Enabled | |
| Sorting Pressure | <2 PSI / 13.79 kPa | |
| Initialization Time | 5 min | |
| Sterility | Enabled | |
| Dimensions | 25 x 14 x 9 in 64 x 36 x 23 cm (Fits in a Standard Biosafety Cabinet) | |
| Weight | 35 lbs 16 kg | |
Pala Fluorescence Detection Configuration
| Instrument Configuration (NI006) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Filter | 488 nm | 561 nm |
| 527/32 | FITC | PE |
| 586/42 | Nile Red | mCherry |
| 625/15 | PE-Texas Red | PE-Cy5 |
| 692/80 | PerCP | PE-Cy7 |
| 783/56 | 488/783 | PE |
| Instrument Configuration (NI007) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Filter | 405 nm | 488 nm |
| 447/45 | BFP | |
| 527/32 | BV 510 | FITC |
| 586/42 | BV 570 | PE |
| 625/15 | BV 605 | PE-Texas Red |
| 692/80 | BV 650 | PerCP |
| 783/56 | BV 785 | PE-Cy7 |
Product Documents
| Quick Start Guide | Pala User Guide |
Product Resources
| Access Pala training modules on Bio-Techne Academy | Software Downloads |
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From Your Peers with Dr. Oscar Perez-Leal: Accelerate drug discovery with enhanced cell engineering
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