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GelCount™ Mammalian-cell colony, spheroid and organoid counter

The leading colony, spheroid and organoid counter for cancer biologists

  • A dedicated colony counter for processing tumour colony forming cell assays
  • All-in-one solution for imaging, counting and characterizing colonies, spheroids and organoids
  • Substantial throughput advantages compared to manual microscope counting
  • Objective, unbiased 'machine' colony/spheroid detection
  • Direct exportation to Excel of colony counts, diameters and more
  • Offline image processing support for maximum throughput and user convenience
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Overview

The ‘Gold Standard’ in mammalian cell Colony, Spheroid and Organoid Counting and Analysis

The Colony Forming Assay and colony counting is universally recognized as the gold standard method for measuring the effects of radiation, chemotherapeutic drugs and other agents on mammalian cell viability.

However, manually counting the resulting cell colonies, spheroids or organoids is a thankless, laborious and time-limiting task in which consistent objectivity is difficult to achieve.

GelCount™ is an easy-to-use, PC software-operated colony counter that automates the detection, counting and analysis of mammalian cell colonies in multi-well plates, Petri dishes and T25 flasks. Colonies and cell types can be either adherent ('2D'), or non-adherent ('3D') seeded in semi-solid matrices or indeed suspension.

GelCount provides a powerful and cost-effective alternative to the subjective and labour-intensive task of manual colony counting in the colony forming cell assay, also referred to variously as the clonogenic assay, the cell survival assay, the tumour cloning assay, or the organoid formation assay.

Key Benefits

An integrated colony counting platform

GelCount™ is an all-in-one solution for imaging, counting and characterizing adherent or non-adherent colonies, spheroids or organoids on a single integrated hardware and accompanying proprietary PC software platform. Colonies are imaged, images transferred to a PC, images processed and characterized and the data collated/exported from within a single, integrated platform. Gone is the unsatisfactory alternative of imaging samples on one device, then transferring these to and processing them on a separate image analysis package.

GelCount
An all-in-one solution for imaging, counting and characterizing adherent or non-adherent colonies, spheroids or organoids

Track record

With a long-standing track record including 100’s of peer-reviewed citations and a worldwide user-base, the GelCount has become the solution of choice for biologists employing the colony / spheroid / organoid formation assay.

Objective ‘machine’ counting

With GelCount the user goes from colony sample to colony counts, colony size distribution and a host of additional statistical data at the click of a button via an intuitive user interface. The image processing algorithm objectively applies user-definable colony detection parameters while distinguishing overlapping colonies and suppressing false positives. GelCount thereby not only dramatically enhances throughput but its inherent 'machine' objectivity and consistency eliminates human error due to subjective interpretation, bias or plain fatigue – a particularly acute problem when manually counting under a microscope.

High-resolution on-screen view

Entire wells or Petri dishes can be conveniently viewed on-screen at high resolution.

An entire well / dish of colonies or spheroids can be viewed on-screen

High throughput performance

Using single pass, high depth-of-field line imaging, combined with a single-axis motorized sample-carrier mechanism, GelCount provides unsurpassed colony detection performance including resolution of overlapping colonies and differentiation of real colonies from debris or other artefacts. Typically a set of four 6-well plates containing non-adherent colonies, spheroids or organoids can be imaged and processed in less than 15 minutes. Colonies as small as 30 µm in diameter are detectable across a medium depth (z-axis) of up to 5 mm (subject to contrast conditions).

Colony diameter data

Processing colony samples with the GelCount not only generates a numerical count but also yields colony diameter information in the form of a mean per well/dish, or a histogram distribution, or even on an individual colony basis if required. The ability to quantitatively measure the effects of anti-cancer therapeutic regimes not only on absolute colony numbers but also on colony size significantly extends the sensitivity of the colony forming assay by providing the user with hitherto unavailable information relating to colony and cell growth dynamics.

Colony diameter data can be viewed in a histogram distribution or exported to CSV

Versatility

GelCount can be used to count and analyze classic adherent colonies AND non-adherent colonies, organoids and spheroids in suspension or semi-solid 3D media, while supporting multi-well plates (up to 96-well), Petri dishes and select T25 flasks.

Offline image processing

The software can be installed on unlimited other workstations. In this way images generated by GelCount can be stored, transferred and analyzed ‘offline’ at the user’s convenience, without tying up the imager for other users.

Flexible data output options

Colony / spheroid counts, diameter statistics and other numerical data are automatically exported to Excel®, while colony images can be saved in a raw format for subsequent offline processing or in a generic image format for printing, presentations, etc.

Excel output (top) and image output for a processed 6-well plate (bottom)

Unlimited software updates

Our customer-focused service includes free and unlimited availability of software updates, fixes and enhancements for the lifetime of the product.

2-year product warranty

Our confidence in the reliability of the GelCount is reflected in our comprehensive manufacturer's warranty, covering defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 2 years from the date of delivery. Extended warranty packages, tied into preventative maintenance servicing are also available.

Unmatched technical support

Technical and application support is both comprehensive and free throughout the lifetime of our products. It is provided by highly experienced support staff who pride themselves in providing personal and responsive assistance via on-site visits, video calls, or email and will 'go the extra mile' to ensure that our users can extract the very best value and opportunity from our products.

Resources

Articles

Webinars

Customer spotlights

Linda Rogers (The Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Comprehensive Cancer Hospital, Sydney, Australia)

Journal citations

GelCount™ has been cited in hundreds of peer-reviewed publications.

User Testimonials

"..[we] continue to use the GelCount extensively, particularly for counting iPSC spheroids. The device has been functioning reliably and has been a significant asset to our ongoing research work."
Dr. Yanuar Limasale, Prof. Werner Lab, Institute of Biofunctional Polymer Materials Leibniz-Institute of Polymer Research Dresden e.V., Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, Dresden, Germany

I have used the GelCount for over 6 months. The machine reduces the analysis time considerably when compared to manual counting, and the results are similar between them. It has also the added bonus of reducing the subjectivity that could arise by manual counting, making the clonogenics more reliable. In addition, Oxford Optronix provides very good technical support. Overall, I would recommend this product as it reduces the time and increases the confidence in your results.”
Dr. Natividad Gomez-Roman, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, UK

The [Oxford] Optronix GelCount has been a fantastic addition to our laboratory setup, allowing rapid and efficient counting of clonogenic assays which would otherwise be a very time consuming and onerous process. The easy to use software reliably identifies colonies and greatly improves consistency in analysing these experiments. I would be happy to recommend the [Oxford] Optronix GelCount to other researchers.
Dr. Ross Carruthers, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, UK

“We have now taken this best practice of industrialized colony counting and purchased the [GelCount] for our drug discovery activities at the Institute for Applied Cancer Science, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center.” “..the GelCount instrument has by far the most intuitive software and you don’t have to be a daily user to remember the workflow and settings etc.”
Dr. Jannik N. Andersen, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States

“With the GelCount from Oxford-Optronix I can finally forget about those many hours spent at the microscope trying to get a number of the amount of colonies in my soft agar experiments. Now I can easily image all the wells, and after choosing my desired settings, in a short time I can have the number of my colonies and their size. The GelCount allows me to follow the growing of the colonies in time by simply acquiring different images during the weeks, so that I can see the effects of the different sample treatments. Definitely, the use of the GelCount saves a lot of my time and now I can perform more experiments in a shorter time, with the additional advantage of acquiring a complete and clear image of the entire well for presentation purposes.”
Dr. Tiziana Scanu, The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI-AVL), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Specifications

Imaging method High resolution 16-bit greyscale CCD line imager, visible light trans-illumination
Imaging resolution 300 dpi – 2,400 dpi, user selectable
Depth of field 0 – 5mm effective, above well base
Sample loading method Removable loading tray, latching into a software-controlled motorized drawer
Plasticware supported Multi-well plates (6, 12, 24, 48 and 96-well plates with/without lids; 35, 50/60 and 100mm Petri dishes with/without lids; selected T25 flasks.
Loading tray capacity Up to 4 multi-well plates; up to 24 Petri dishes; up to 8 T25 flasks
PC interface USB 2.0 (x2)
Dimensions 155mm x 560mm x 450mm (H x W x D)
Weight 20 kg
Power requirements 100 – 240V ~ 1.5A, 50-60 Hz; 2 x T1.6A fuse
Storage temperature 10 – 40°C
Operating temperature 15 – 30°C
Operating humidity 0 – 70% (non condensing)
Min. resolvable colony diameter Approx. 30 µm (at 2,400 dpi image resolution)
Typical acquisition time 12 minutes (four 6-well plates at 1,200 dpi)
Colony detection CHARM II™ (Compact Hough and Radial Map) image processing algorithm, proprietary to Oxford Optronix Ltd., dedicated to colony detection and size characterization.
Colony types supported Adherent: stained (methyl blue, crystal violet, or equivalent). Non-adherent: unstained spheroids, colonies and organoids in semi-solid matrices or suspension culture. Optionally stained (MTT or equivalent).
Counting variability Non-adherent: unstained spheroids, colonies and organoids in semi-solid matrices or suspension culture. Optionally stained (MTT or equivalent).
Numerical data output Automated exportation to Excel® of colony counts, mean colony diameter, area, volume and other ‘statistics’ per well/dish. Optional ‘csv’ output of per-colony data and/or statistics histograms.
Image output Per well/dish or compound bitmap images for general purpose importation/printing. Per well/dish raw images for ‘off-line’ image analysis and/or archiving.

*Specifications subject to change without notice

Frequently Asked Questions

What does GelCount do?

GelCount™ is an integrated hardware and software platform that semi-automatically images multi-well plates or Petri dishes arising from colony forming assays and processes the images to yield a colony count as well additional parameters such as colony size distributions, all of which can be conveniently imported into Microsoft Excel.

What’s unique about GelCount?

GelCount™ is the first and only imaging system conceived specifically for the objective and reproducible detection, counting and analysis of non-adherent mammalian cell colonies in semi-solid media or suspension, an otherwise painstaking procedure carried out under a microscope.

How does GelCount work?

GelCount™ combines advanced, high-resolution / high depth-of-field CCD scanning hardware with a software-controlled sample loading mechanism that automatically sends images of colony samples to a PC via a USB2 bus. Image processing occurs via proprietary software residing on the PC incorporating a powerful, purpose-written ‘CHARM’-based algorithm.

What are the applications for GelCount?

GelCount™ will be of interest primarily to cancer biologists utilizing the colony forming assay to quantify the efficacy of anti-cancer drug candidates and other treatment regimes on cells in culture. Secondary applications for GelCount™ may include the cell proliferation assay, the invasion assay or bacterial and yeast colony counting applications.

Can GelCount be used for CFU / BFU stem cell colony counting and categorization?

No. GelCount™ will not reliably detect highly ‘diffuse’ colonies (e.g. classic CFU-G/M colonies) or highly irregular colonies (e.g. classic BFU-E colonies). The CHARM colony-detection algorithm is not conceived for colony typing based on colony ‘morphology’.

Is GelCount suited to counting adherent, stained colonies?

Yes! The GelCount™ is perfectly suited to imaging and accurately processing stained, adherent cell colonies on multi-well plates, Petri dishes and T25 flasks. For those familiar with its predecessor (the ColCount™), the GelCount™ provides almost 100% ‘backward compatibility’.

Do colonies in semi-solid media, or spheroids in suspension need to be stained?

Generally no, GelCount™ will normally detect unstained colonies very effectively. Performance may be enhanced in certain cases (e.g. high background, or very small colonies) by the use of MTT-based metabolic stains (these do not stain the medium; recommended protocols available on request).

Can GelCount be used to count bacterial and/or yeast cell colonies?

Yes. While not a primary application, GelCount™ can be used very successfully to image and count bacterial or yeast cell colonies on standard, non-opaque agar plates (example images available on request).

Is GelCount a cell counter?

Strictly speaking no. GelCount™ does not feature magnifying optics and was conceived to count colonies of typically 20 or more cells rather than individual cells. However, at its maximum resolution setting GelCount™ is capable of distinguishing individual adherent cells, provided they are well stained and discrete. Thus, under ideal conditions, GelCount™ may be useful for quantifying the output of cell proliferation assays (example images available on request).

Does GelCount allow inclusion/exclusion of colonies based on size or shape?

The software provides extensive user-optimization of colony detection parameters. Primarily this involves setting minimum and maximum colony diameter thresholds, colony shape parameters and overall sensitivity levels. Crucially, user-generated detection settings can be stored as templates and recalled during future counting sessions.

What is the minimum colony size GelCount can detect?

Depending on colony morphology (‘compactness’), spacing between colonies and background conditions, GelCount™ can readily detect colonies as small as 30 um in diameter at the maximum resolution setting.

With what culture-ware is GelCount compatible?

GelCount is compatible with 6-, 12-, 24-, 48- and 96-well plates (up to 4 plates of any one type may be imaged simultaneously), as well as with 35 mm (up to 24), 50 mm (up to 12) and 100 mm (up to 4) Petri dishes. GelCount is also compatible with certain T25 flasks.

How fast is GelCount and what throughput rates can be achieved?

Throughput is primarily limited by the speed of image acquisition, which in turn is a function of the chosen imaging resolution and plate/dish type. Typical processing time (image acquisition plus software processing) for four 6-well plates containing adherent, stained colonies is approximately 6 minutes (600 dpi imaging). Typical processing time for four 6-well plates containing non-adherent colonies in soft agar is approximately 12 minutes (1,200 dpi imaging). The worst case scenario is four 96-well plates imaged at maximum resolution (2,400 dpi), in which case total processing time is approx. 45 minutes.

Can GelCount analyze multiple samples simultaneously?

Yes! Up to four multi-well plates, up to four 100 mm Petri dishes, up to twelve 50 mm Petri dishes, or up to twenty-four 35 mm Petri dishes may be loaded and processed simultaneously.

Is GelCount compatible with a plate stacker or robotic loading system?

At the present time GelCount™ does not support ‘off-the-shelf’ stacker or robotic sample loading solutions.

Is GelCount compatible with macOS?

The GelCount™ operating software is only available for PC platforms. MacOS is NOT presently supported.

What is the recommended minimum PC specification for GelCount?

Minimum recommended PC specifications are: AMD or Intel dual/multi-core processor @ 2 GHz or above; 8 GB or above of system memory; discrete graphics accelerator with 512 MB or above (not required with processors featuring on-die GPU, e.g. desktop Intel® i3, i5, i7, or ‘APU’ processors by AMD); two spare USB2 ports; Windows® 7 or Windows® 10 operating systems. An installation of Microsoft® Excel® is required to support basic data output functionality.

Do you offer on-site demonstrations of GelCount?

Yes, depending on geographical location we will try to arrange for an on-site demonstration of our products by an experienced product specialist. Ideally this will involve imaging representative samples prepared by the user to maximise the benefit of the demonstration. On-site demonstrations are usually free of charge and can typically be arranged at 2 – 8 weeks notice. Alternatively, we also offer live screen-share/teleconference-based introductions and demonstrations, which can be arranged at shorter notice. An on-site product loan may also be considered. Please contact our sales team for further details.

Accessories

Place tray4

PLATE TRAY

4-place tray for multi-well plates

PLATE TRAY
Petri tray 35

PETRI TRAY 35

24-place tray for 35 mm Petri dishes (Nunc®, Greiner®)

PETRI TRAY 35
Petri tray35f

PETRI TRAY 35 F

24-place tray for 35 mm Petri dishes (Falcon®)

PETRI TRAY 35 F
Petri tray 50

PETRI TRAY 50

12-place tray for 50 mm Petri dishes

PETRI TRAY 50
Petri tray 100

PETRI TRAY 100

4-place tray for 100 mm Petri dishes

PETRI TRAY 100
Petri tray 100 e

PETRI TRAY 100 E

4-place tray for Eppendorf® 100 mm Petri dishes (ref 0030702115)

PETRI TRAY 100 E
T25 tray flcn

T25 TRAY FLCN

6-place tray for Falcon® T25 (ref 353082) and Corning® T25 (ref 430639) flasks

T25 TRAY FLCN
T25 trayflcn t2

T25 TRAY FLCN T2

8-place tray for Falcon® T25 flasks (ref 353108)

T25 TRAY FLCN T2