Services

Elispot Plate Reading Service including dual color, fluorescent and 384 well plates. Plates will be evaluated in high resolution using automated Elispot reader systems from Zeiss (Elispot) and AID (Fluorospot). The following information will be provided:

• number of spots per well

• size of each spot in each well

• intensity of each spot in each well

• total area per well covered by spots

• plate overview image

• binary spot picture of all wells

• single well images

• reader settings

Well images can be used for publication, demonstration and presentation purposes. Per request, we can also provide high resolution well images for re-evaluation purposes.

New Pricing in effect January 05, 2023:

Evaluation costs for single color enzymatic plates: $60.00 per plate (Category A*)

Evaluation costs for dual-color enzymatic plates: $150.00 per plate (non-fluorescent). Dual-colored enzymatic plates will be evaluated for 3 different colored spot populations (typically red, blue and purple [= double-stained] spots)

Evaluation costs for single color fluorescent plates: $60.00 per plate

Evaluation costs for dual color fluorescent plates: $90.00 per plate (3 sub-populations)

Evaluation costs for triple color fluorescent plates: $120.00 per plate (providing the read-out for 7 sub-populations: 3 single secretors, 3 dual secretors, 1 triple secretor).

Evaluation costs for quadruple color fluorescent plates: $150.00 per plate

Evaluation costs for 384 well plates: $120.00 per plate

Express Service: an additional fee of $20.00 per plate applies; by request only – evaluation provided within 24 hours of receipt of plates

Category B* plates: an additional fee of $25.00 per plate

Shipping costs/domestic: $8.00 – $16.00 per package

Shipping costs/international: please inquire

Average turn-around time: 2-3 days

* Category A: regular Elispot/Fluorospot plate, no major issues

* Category B: plates with major issues, e.g.:

• many punched out wells are misaligned

• extremely difficult conditions for evaluation (highly sub-optimal spot definition, unusual high amount of artifacts, background staining that does not allow reliable discrimination of spots, spot confluence in majority of wells)

Plate storage: By request we can store plates for a limited time, for example until the end of a study. The cost for storage are as follows:

• <20 plates: $ 20.00/month

• 21 to <50 plates: $50.00/month

• >50 plates: $100.00/month

Membrane Removal Service

For highest accuracy, we recommend to remove the membranes from old format Elispot plates (e.g., MAIP or MAHA plates) and transfer them onto sealing tape. This assures that membranes are completely flat and therefore perfectly focused during evaluation (The older plates give membranes room to expand. This leads to concave membranes, with their center being elevated in comparison to the well periphery.).

ZellNet offers a membrane removal service for a nominal fee; or an easy to use membrane removal device  (see next service item).

Membrane Removal Device

The Eli-Puncher Kit is designed to easily remove membranes from 96-well plates without the danger of destroying a well. It can be used unlimited times. The Kit contains:

• one black punch-out device fitting in one well from 96 well plates
• one blue Elispot filter transfer pad
• one clear sealing tape
• instructions

The membrane removal has the following advantages:

• It assures the straightening of the concave well surface of older format Elispot plates (MAIP, MAHA) for accurate and focused evaluation of Elispot plates.
• It offers an easy storage solution for Elispot plates.

Catalog number: ZN005
Price: $45.00 + $7.00 shipping (within the United States)

Order Information: This item has been discontinued due to the improvement in membrane flatness in HTS Elispot plates.

We analyze your Elispot data for positivity. If more than one antigen are used, the analysis is done with a permutation-based method that takes into account that normal distribution of Elispot data cannot be assumed under commonly used setup conditions of the assay . The method has been shown to control the false positive rate while having superb sensitivity. For positivity testing of results from assays testing just one antigen, the appropriate tests are applied.

Operator-dependent variability of Elispot reading results is a known phenomenon, and has been described.

ZellNet offers a service to certify proficiency in Elispot plate evaluation. Such certification should be periodically pursued for each scientist in a laboratory running its own plate evaluation.

This service is independent of the Elispot reader used in-house. Simply send your plate(s) in for re-evaluation. Specify the request for certification. Also, provide your reading results and, if feasible, setup information of your plate(s), if you wish to obtain statistical analysis of the comparison of both reading results.

We will perform an extensive evaluation of the plate including auditing of all wells, spot appearance, analysis of artifacts and any problems observed (if necessary) and provide a detailed report.

You can engage one of our scientists to give a seminar at your location. You choose the topic(s), we do the rest. Examples of seminar topics are:

• Principles of the Elispot technique
• Standardization and validation procedures
• Elispot and GLP
• New Elispot applications and techniques
• Fluorescent Elispot (Fluorospot)
• Troubleshooting
• Elispot market and fields of application
• Evaluation of Elispot plates
• PBMC handling and logistics
• QA and QC measures
• Statistical analysis of Elispot results

Contact us for details

A workshop provides training for groups of 1 – 10 people. The workshop goal is to provide technical expertise:

• for cell preparation including PBMC isolation, freezing and thawing procedures
• to perform an Elispot assay
• for Elispot plate evaluation.

Workshops include:

• establishment of lab-specific protocols
• hands-on training for Elispot performance
• performance of complete Elispot experiments by participants using lab-specific protocol
• troubleshooting of typical problems encountered
• discussion of performed experiment and results
• design of a strategy for assay standardization and validation as well as for training guidelines.

Do you have an (older) Zeiss Elispot Reader?

ZellNet offers help in upgrading and configuring your Zeiss Elispot Reader including set-up for Fluorospot evaluation.

We provide training and support (hardware & software) for Zeiss Elispot Reader use.

If you don’t use your Zeiss Elispot Reader anymore, please contact us for choices including buy-back options.