Cell separation and characterization on real-world samples
The LeviCell® platform offers a revolutionary workflow in its simplicity, speed, and reproducibility. Unlike traditional cell enrichment methods, it needs only 3 hands-on steps, and the LeviCell 96 enriches a full 96-well plate in 45 minutes on standard SBS robotics.
Levitation Technology™ is the first truly novel approach to cellular analysis in 30 years. Extensive research has shown that cells of different types or states have unique physical signatures, levitating in predictable ways when they encounter a magnetic density field. Here’s how it works.
Levitation workflow
Three hands-on steps, the same on the LeviCell 12 and the LeviCell 96.
Load the array
Mix each sample with Levitation Agent, a paramagnetic solution, and pipette it into the wells of the SALT™ array: up to 96 samples on the LeviCell 96 or 12 on the LeviCell 12.
Levitate on the deck
Place the array in a standard SBS deck position. In every well, viable cells rise into a tight band above dead cells and debris during a 40-minute levitation, with no labels, beads or centrifuge, while the system images each well.
Collect
The liquid handler collects the enriched fraction from every well into an output plate, ready for counting and downstream assays, leaving dead cells, debris and supernatant behind.
*Illustrations show the LeviCell 96 System. The LeviCell 12 runs the same three-step workflow and chemistry for up to 12 samples per run.
Levitation inside every well
Live and dead cells equilibrate at different levitation heights. In each well of the SALT™ array, live and dead cells settle into distinct bands, allowing enriched, live cells to be imaged, analyzed and collected by the liquid handler for downstream assays.
Levitation takes place due to a balance of gravitational and magnetic forces exerted by the magnets on the paramagnetic fluid around the cells. Viable cells are impermeable to the Levitation Agent and levitate at a height corresponding to their density, resulting in strong levitation. Dead and dying cells are likely permeable to the Levitation Agent due to their compromised membranes and levitate lower with a higher density, so the magnetic forces are weaker as they are more similar to the surrounding medium.
- Viable cells levitate higher and form a tight uniform band
- Dead and dying cells levitate lower and form a diffuse band
The LeviCell systems’ gentle separation process maintains maximum cell viability, preserving cell population representation for sensitive downstream assays like single-cell analysis.
Watch Levitation Technology in action
See live capture video of our groundbreaking Levitation Technology enabling cell isolation and enrichment on real-world samples.
- From one sample to 96
Levitation on the robot deck
On the LeviCell® 96 System, Selective Arrayed Levitation Technology (SALT™) arranges magnets under a standard 96-well ANSI/SBS plate to run 96 levitation reactions at once. Because separation needs no centrifuge, filters, beads or microfluidics, the full workflow can be scripted on standard laboratory robotics and run walkaway.
Enrich
Live cells levitate clear of dead cells and debris.
Wash
Exchange buffers in place, without spinning.
Pellet
Levitation gathers viable cells into a tight pellet above dead cells and debris, with no centrifuge.
Image
Capture what happens in every well as samples levitate.
Analyze
Turn images into sample-quality metrics and go/no-go decisions.
Collect
Recover the fraction you need: cells, nuclei, organoids or particles.
Pool
Combine wells to build larger inputs or multiplexed runs.
Concentrate
Elute into a small volume, ready for the next step.
The result is sample prep that is consistent well to well and run to run. That matters for routine assays, and it matters even more when you are building the large, high-fidelity datasets that large models of biology depend on.
Meet the solutions that enable breakthrough discoveries
LeviCell® systems utilize Levitation Technology™ to elevate sample enrichment to new heights, from 1 – 96 samples at a time. Achieve viable cell enrichment without labels or beads in as few as 20 minutes with a simple workflow that delivers results you can see.
Sample preparation methods comparison
