In this webinar, Amanda Vanden Hoek, PhD, and Vesna Posarac, MSc, present two novel platforms for the efficient isolation of immune cells from large volume samples.

Highlights

  • The need for efficiently processing large volume samples in immunology research
  • Overview of STEMCELL Technology products that support immunology research
  • Benefits and limitations of using a manual, open cell isolation system
  • Benefits and limitations of using an automated, closed cell isolation system

Webinar Summary

STEMCELL Technologies is a global biotech leader that supports many different areas of life science research. The focus of this presentation is the products and services that STEMCELL Technologies provides specifically for immunology research, which Amanda explains in detail. Their available products support every step of immune cell-based research, including cell sourcing, isolation, activation, gene editing, expansion, differentiation, analysis, and cryopreservation.

“In order to provide you a foundation for the rest of today’s presentation, it’s important for us to introduce you to some of our existing cell isolation technologies, particularly our immunomagnetic approaches [like] EasySep and RoboSep.”

EasySep combines the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the simplicity of a column-free magnetic system for the rapid and easy isolation of highly purified immune cells that are immediately ready for downstream analysis. The EasySep portfolio has been used by thousands of researchers worldwide and works robustly over a wide variety of species and starting samples, with different selection methods and magnetic platforms available. These magnetic platforms have traditionally been very successful in processing small blood samples, but not large volume samples.

“There are an increasing number of applications where processing large sample volumes is not only quite common, but actually a critical part of the workflow, primarily in … blood banking, drug discovery, and immune cell therapy research.”

In particular, leukapheresis samples (i.e., Leukopaks) are an excellent sample source since they can provide large numbers of single donor mononuclear cells from peripheral blood to ensure that there are enough cells for downstream assays. While many researchers perform preliminary work with small sample volumes, most of these research areas eventually need to scale up to larger sample volumes like Leukopaks. Efficiently isolating cells from an entire Leukopak can be difficult, and the ease of use, protocol speed, performance, and ease of integration with existing downstream applications must be considered during this process.

“Importantly, the system needs to deliver the same highly-purified functional cells that you were obtaining previously at the smaller scale to ensure that the results of your downstream applications translate appropriately as your research scales [up] and progresses.”

Many research groups must also consider the benefits and limitations of manual versus automated systems, such as risk of operator error or contamination, the need for robustness and reproducibility, and maximizing efficiency and flexibility across applications. STEMCELL Technologies has developed systems that address these considerations and streamline Leukopak processing.

In the second half of this webinar, Vesna introduces two novel systems for cell isolation from large volume samples. The Easy 250 EasySep Magnet is a manual system designed to isolate cells from samples ranging from 25 to 225 mL in volume. With this system, whole Leukopaks can be processed in approximately one single 30-minute experiment without needing to split the sample across multiple magnets. Vesna also provides an illustration of a typical cell isolation protocol as well as performance data highlighting the purity of cells isolated from Leukopaks with this system.

“The platform performs comparably or in some cases even better [than] our well-established, smaller magnet platforms … [and] will help to ensure users a smooth transition as they scale up their research.”

In contrast, the RoboSep is a fully automated cell isolation system designed to minimize sample handling and free up technician time for other tasks. Until recently, the RoboSep-S and RoboSep-16 were available and capable of processing up to 4 and 16 samples at a time, respectively. The newest RoboSep-C system is designed not for simultaneous, multi-sample processing, but for the automated and rapid processing of large volume samples. This system has been optimized for use with fresh or frozen Leukopaks containing 2.5 to 20 billion cells. Vesna additionally shares performance data that highlights the high purity, recovery, and viability of immune cells isolated from Leukopak samples using this platform.

“Across all the protocols we’ve developed so far, we see that RoboSep-C enables automated isolation of human immune cells with high purity when starting from fresh Leukopaks.”

Additional examples highlight that across all cell isolation kits, isolated cell populations contain minimal CD45+ contaminants, and that RoboSep-C is highly effective at removing red blood cells and platelets from Leukopak samples. STEMCELL Technologies also has protocols and reagent kits in active development for the isolation of additional cell types, including monocytes and natural killer cells, which they hope to launch in the coming months. Vesna also stresses that these systems are currently intended for research use only. However, knowing that there is a demand for increased options and efficiency in clinical cell isolation systems, STEMCELL Technologies is committed to supporting a Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) workflow in the future.

Amanda concludes this webinar by comparing the two systems and highlighting their differences in protocol times and sample compatibility. These products both fit well into STEMCELL Technologies’ overall portfolio of specialized cell isolation products and have allowed the company to extend speed and efficiency to more challenging large volume samples to make cell isolation a more streamlined first step in daily research protocols.

Click to watch the webinar recording. To view the presentation full screen simply click the square icon located in the bottom-right corner of the video-viewer.

Resources

Q&A

  • What is the procedure for preparing the Leukopak for Easy 250 isolation?
  • Can multiple cell types be isolated from a single Leukopak?
  • Can cells be reformulated by RoboSep-C into a different medium?
  • What is the final isolated cell volume and can that be customized?
  • How does the cell wash process work for the RoboSep-C?
  • Did you compare RoboSep-C with the CliniMACS from Miltenyi?
  • How many residual magnetic beads are left after isolation?
  • Has the RoboSep-C system and T cell isolation kit been approved by Health Canada?
  • Are any of the reagents currently of GMP quality?
  • Which kit would you recommend for isolating CD3+ cells?
  • Can the RoboSep-C be used for purifying final products?
  • Do you actually recover 60% of the cells after isolation?

To retrieve a PDF copy of the presentation, click on the link below the slide player. From this page, click on the “Download” link to retrieve the file.

Presenters

Senior Scientist
Research & Development
STEMCELL Technologies

Vesna Posarac is a Senior Scientist in the Human Immunology Research and Development team. She obtained a MSc in Microbiology and Immunology from The University of British Columbia, and joined STEMCELL in 2010. In her current role, she supports STEMCELL’s cell separation instruments and products for immunology research.

Senior Product Manager
Business Operations
STEMCELL Technologies

Dr. Amanda Vanden Hoek is a Senior Product Manager overseeing STEMCELL’s immunology portfolio. She obtained a PhD in protein biochemistry from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, and then joined STEMCELL in 2012. In her current role, she and her team support STEMCELL’s cell separation and immunology products.

Production Partner

STEMCELL Technologies Inc.

STEMCELL Technologies provides specialized cell culture media, cell isolation products, and reagents for your cell therapy and drug discovery research. Our ethically sourced human primary cell portfolio includes products from peripheral blood, cord blood, and bone marrow.

Additional Content From STEMCELL Technologies Inc.

Additional Content From Scientist.com

Related Content