Products Instruments Helios a CyTOF System

Helios, a CyTOF System 

A powerful high-parameter cytometer and the signal detection platform for the Hyperion Imaging System 

Large image of Fluidigm's Helios instrument

Technology

The Helios™ mass cytometer enables the sensitive and precise detection of metal-tagged antibodies bound to tissue regions of interest interrogated by the Hyperion™ Tissue Imager.  

Helios also serves as a high-dimensional single-cell suspension analysis tool when decoupled from the Hyperion Tissue Imager. Learn more about the unique capabilities of the Hyperion+™ Imaging System to function in dual mode to perform high-multiplex characterization spanning cell suspension and tissue samples using proven CyTOF® technology.  

For latest-generation, stand-alone cell suspension mass cytometry, the fully automated CyTOF XT™ provides significant advantages over the Helios system. Reimagine cytometry with CyTOF XT. 

Workflow

1

Design panel

Easily build panels with up to 50 metal-tagged antibodies and reagents using Maxpar® Panel Designer. Add barcoding to multiplex your samples for even better data quality. Or begin by using pre-built panels.

2

Prepare samples

CyTOF systems provide highly multiplexed single-cell data from cell suspension samples. Standard protocols for preparing single-cell suspensions from solid or liquid tissues and tumors can be used for CyTOF sample prep. View our support page for staining protocols. 

3

Acquire data

The Helios system provides the same excellent standard of data quality as the latest-generation mass cytometer, CyTOF XT, but requires manual resuspension and loading of samples.

4

Analyze data

CyTOF systems produce standard FCS 3.0 (Helios) or 3.1 (CyTOF XT) data files that can be analyzed with any compatible software, including but not limited to FCS Express™ and Maxpar Pathsetter™. 

Software

Achieve the precise, repeatable results your research demands.

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Cytobank Analysis

Cytobank cloud-based data analysis software turns high-content data into high-impact knowledge by providing tools optimized for mass cytometry, including clustering (SPADE and viSNE), heat maps, do...

CyTOF Software

CyTOF® Software offers support for the imaging and cell suspension-based sample analysis to Hyperion™ Imaging System and Helios™ system users. The software has the built-in capability to switch sam...

FCS Express

FCS Express™ is a fully integrated analysis, statistics, graphing and reporting tool for turning cytometry data into presentation-ready and publication-ready results. Full support for Standard BioT...

Maxpar Pathsetter

Maxpar® Pathsetter™ is a fully automated reporting and data analysis solution that automatically identifies 37 immune cell types in FCS files from samples processed with the Maxpar® Direct™ Immune...

Support

A critical success factor when adopting high-performance technology is acquiring the proficiency and support necessary to accelerate your research and discovery initiatives. Standard BioTools™ PRO Services are a comprehensive portfolio of solutions to help you maximize your investment, scale up productivity and empower your laboratory with greater access to professional resources.

Products

Related products that will help you make the most of Helios 

Resources

Flyers & brochures

Specifications

Helios, a CyTOF system 

Channels

135

Mass range

75–209 amu

Abundance sensitivity

0.3% for 159Tb

Instrument response

600,000 counts/pg 159Tb

Detection limit

350 antibodies/cell

Dynamic range

4.5 orders of magnitude

Calibration

Automated

Operating system

Windows® 10 Enterprise

Sample introduction

Pneumatic single-tube loader with agitation, up to 5 mL volume

Peak throughput

2,000 events/sec

Flow rate

30 µL/min

Replicate sample CV (normalized)

<3%

Workstation 

Operating system

Windows 10 Enterprise

Data storage

OS: 240 GB SSD, Storage: 2 x 8 TB

CPU

Intel Core i7-6700 @ 3.4 GHz

Memory

32 GB DDR4

Dimensions

Height 34.5 cm (13.6), Width 13.4 cm (5.25), Depth 35.6 cm (14 in), Weight 8 kg (18 lb)

Monitor

86.3 cm (34 in)

Data file specifications 

IMD

0.3 MB/sec/channel

FCS

12.4 bytes/event/channel

TXT

2.4 bytes/event/channel

Instrument dimensions 

Width

103 cm (41 in)

Height

132 cm (52 in)

Depth

87 cm (35 in)

Weight

320 kg (705 lb)

Chiller Size 

Width

38 cm (15 in)

Height

64 cm (25 in)

Depth

67 cm (27 in)

Weight

81 kg (178 lb)

Mass Cytometry Technology Learn more about mass cytometry and how it is being used to advance basic and clinical research in oncology, immuno-therapy and infectious disease.  

Unless explicitly and expressly stated otherwise, all products are provided for Research Use Only, not for use in diagnostic procedures. Find more information here.