"Floating Solutions" for Better Science with Microbubbles from Akadeum Life Sciences

Written by Emily Locke

Effective sample preparation is critical to most biological workflows. This reduces sorting time, increases the quality of results and provides a robust population of cells or other analytes for downstream applications. Separating one population of cells from another in a biological sample (e.g. blood or tissue) makes it possible to study individual cells and thereby learn more about their specific functions and roles. With this knowledge, scientists can harness the capabilities of specific cells to develop individualized therapies. Unfortunately, current cell separation technologies are not able to meet the demands of the constantly evolving research and industry: Researchers struggle with sample volume limitations, intensive workflows and limited purity [1]. 

But fortunately, that's where our new manufacturer Akadeum Life Sciences comes in: the US-based company has developed an innovative platform of functionalized, buoyant microbubbles that enables easy, buoyancy-driven isolation of cells, nucleic acids, proteins and chemicals. Akadeum's floating solutions overcome the disadvantages of other available technologies that limit your progress or productivity - using science so simple, it floats!

These topics await you:

1) BACS™: Elegant in its Simplicity, Powerful in its Application

2) Better Cells, Better Science - Reliable Cell Isolation with BACS™ Kits

3) Top Products from Akadeum Life Sciences

4) Any Sample, any Volume, anywhere

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BACS™: Elegant in its Simplicity, Powerful in its Application

With its innovative, flotation-based microbubble technology, known as Buoyancy-Activated Cell Sorting (BACS™), Akadeum Life Sciences is revolutionizing the way in which separations of biomolecules are performed.  BACS™ is a negative selection process in which unwanted molecules are first removed from the sample and then the untouched target populations are recovered for downstream applications. Akadeum microbubbles are small, stable particles that can float in water, PBS, cell culture media, biological fluids and other aqueous laboratory solutions.

Figure 1: The Principle behind BACS™. (1) First, the microbubbles are mixed into the sample to be sorted, allowing (2) them to bind to the target cells via affinity molecules. While unbound cells sink to the bottom of the sample tube due to gravity or gentle centrifugation, (3) the microbubbles float with their bound targets to the surface of the solution, where they can be quickly and easily removed by vacuum aspiration [1].

The workflow with the microbubbles is quick and uncomplicated (Fig. 1): After being gently mixed into the sample to be sorted (Fig. 1.1), the microbubbles coated with affinity molecules bind their targets (Fig. 1.2) and lift them to the surface of the solution by their own buoyancy (Fig. 1.3). Here they can be removed from the sample by vacuum aspiration, leaving only the enriched target molecules at the bottom [1]. In the majority of Akadeum's kits, the binding between the microbubbles and the cells is based on a streptavidin/biotin interaction: biotinylated antibodies that bind specifically to the target cell are bound by streptavidin-coated microbubbles. Akadeum thus utilizes one of the strongest known non-covalent biological bonds - another strength of the BACS™ technology!

Better Cells, Better Science - Reliable Cell Isolation with BACS™ Kits

Akadeum offers a constantly growing range of BACS™ kits: While small-format isolation kits enable the isolation of a wide variety of murine or human cell types (e.g. T or B cells), cells can also be directly activated and expanded with the activation and expansion kits. For the sorting of cells in a Leukopak, Akadeum has developed special Leukopak isolation kits. Leukopaks are enriched apheresis products obtained by leukapheresis, i.e. the removal of white blood cells from the peripheral blood [2]. They contain certain subtypes of immune cells, including T cells, B cells and other peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

If you are interested in Leukopaks or other blood products, you should take a look at our manufacturer Research Donors. As leukopaks often contain red blood cells, cell debris or other unwanted cells, they may need to be purified before further downstream applications. Akadeum's Leukopak Isolation Kits allow you to easily go from Leukopak bag to your desired cell population within one hour - without aggressive lysis and density gradient centrifugation [1].

All Products from Akadeum Life Sciences

Any Sample, any Volume, anywhere

Akadeum's microbubbles offer a simple and elegant solution for an almost infinite range of applications! They are characterized primarily by their flexibility, as they are compatible with a wide range of affinity molecules and therefore allow tailor-made workflows for diverse cell populations. At the same time, BACS™ ensures high cell purity, yield and viability. Anyone can perform cell separation with BACS™ kits: The workflow is short, simple and does not require complex machinery. This makes the innovative microbubble technology more cost-effective than alternative methods and enables researchers to better scale up their experiments [1].

Do you feel restricted by the limitations of current cell isolation technologies? Then don't hesitate and upgrade now to the flotation-based microbubble technology from our new manufacturer Akadeum Life Sciences!

Got to the Catalogs of Akadeum Life Sciences

Sources

[1] https://www.akadeum.com/, 14.02.2024

[2] https://www.criver.com/products-services/cell-sourcing/human-peripheral-blood/leukopaks?region=3696, 14.02.2024