Evaluation of cyropreservation and fixation of stained PBMC samples obtained from the Helios mass cytometer comparing the narrow bore and wide bore injector configurations

Improvements in data quality on the Helios mass cytometer using the alternative wide bore (WB) injector in conjunction with Fluidigm's CAS buffer over the narrow bore injector have been shown. This experiments aims to address the potential that this phenomenon results from degradation of inadequately fixed samples or from the cryopreservation of samples.
Conclusion:
The WB+CAS acquisition protocol resulted in overall improved data quality relative to the original NB+H20 protocol across all three fixation conditions when the samples were acquired either immediately after staining or after cryopreservation in 10% DMSO in FBS. A PBMC sample was stained using a general immunophenotyping panel and then split and CD45 barcoded and fixed using either freshly diluted 2.4% formaldehyde, 0.05% glutaraldehyde or a combination of 2.4% formaldehyde + 0.05% gluteraldehyde.