How do I remove cellular debris from my mixture?

One straightforward method for removing cell debris is through density-gradient centrifugation. This technique uses a centrifuge, and during spinning, particles with similar densities group together. Dead cells and debris are less dense than live cells, thus they separate from the healthier cells. Adding separation reagents like Percoll or Ficoll can help improve the purity in this technique. Another method involves using a dead cell removal kit. These kits clean up the sample by eliminating unwanted cells before analyzing it with a flow cytometer.

Another method for separating dead cells is through fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). FACS is an advanced form of flow cytometry that uses lasers and fluorescent markers to analyze and sort cells based on their size, structure, and other characteristics. Unlike standard flow cytometry, which only gathers data, FACS can actually sort cells into different groups.