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FlowJo provides a simple interface to
performing fairly sophisticated DNA/Cell Cycle analysis. To
launch the Cell Cycle platform, select any sample or gated population
(i.e., where you have gated out debris or gated for a desired phenotype),
and choose "Cell Cycle..." from the "Platforms"
menu. FlowJo brings up a graph window that is specially designed
for cell cycle analyses. You might want to visit the page giving
hints for Cell Cycle
analysis with FlowJo.
FlowJo
tries to determine which parameter contains the DNA quantitation
information; if it chooses the wrong one, select the correct one
from the X-axis popup menu. Then click on the button "Add/Change
Models" to begin your Cell Cycle analysis.
When you click on "Models" disclosure
triangle, FlowJo presents you with all the options for the fitting
and analysis of your cell cycle data. For more info, also see the
document on the Cell Cycle Platform window.
Once FlowJo has computed the model, it displays
the fit along with statistical data in the Cell Cycle window, such
as that shown below.

FAQ: Whats the difference between Watson
and Dean-Jett-Fox models?
The Watson model makes no assumptions about the shape of
the S-Phase distribution; it (by definition) fits the S-phase
exactly. The DJF model assumes that the S-phase is can be modeled
by a second degree polynomial (that is convoluted with gaussian
distributions of varying width throughout S-phase). You can also
choose to have a synchronized peak within the S-phase as an option
to this model.
The statistics displayed in the table
will depend on which models and options are computed, but all
will include basic statistics such as the fraction of cells in
G1, S, and G2, the positions of the G1 and G2 peaks (and their
widths), and the number of cells below G1 and above G2.
In addition, the RMS (root mean square) error of the fit is displayed
in the first column. If you change the fitting criteria,
you may wish to minimize this value as a way to optimize the fit.
If FlowJo fails to fit the model(s) to the data, then it will
display "Invalid" in the RMS field. In this case,
you will want to help FlowJo fit the data by constraining different
parameters. See the "hints"
page for ideas on how to proceed.
If you click and drag within the graph window, you
can create "ranges". Ranges are similar to histogram
gates, and can be used by the fitting criteria to constrain peak
positions to within the range. In the example above, a range
was defined around the G1 peak in order to help FlowJo determine
the optimal fit: in the Graph
Specification Window, the fit was constrained
such that the G1 peak must be found within the defined range.
Cell cycle analyses can be copied between subsets
and between samples, and even to groups, just like every other analysis
in FlowJo. In this fashion, you can compute Cell Cycle analyses
on every sample in an experiment. In general, you will begin
by analyzing a control sample, and use this control sample to define
ranges for G1 and G2. If you have unusual distributions, constraining
the fit by these ranges will help FlowJo determine the proper distribution
of cells. Once you have defined the ranges and the fit, drag
the analysis to other samples (or the group).
You can drag Cell Cycle analyses to the Layout Editor
to generate reports that contain the graphs, the models, and the
basic statistics (fraction of cells in G1, S, and G2). You
can also copy the table of statistics to the clipboard by clicking
on the button right above the table--and then paste into any spreadsheet
or word processor for further analysis.
To learn more about applying specific models, view
the page on Cell
Cycle Graph Specification. You may
also wish to view the page on hints
for performing Cell Cycle analyses.
Download a Cell Cycle Workspace
with Demo Data to try out this platform. |
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