Countstar Rigel Series – Fluorescence Cell Analyzer

The Countstar Rigel Series is a purpose-built family of fluorescence cell analyzers designed for cell therapy manufacturing and quality control. Combining brightfield digital microscopy, multi-channel fluorescence imaging, and patented Fixed Focus Technology into a compact all-in-one design, the Rigel series provides standardized, GMP-compliant cell analysis across the full CAR-T, NK cell, and primary cell production workflow.

Shared Features Across All Models

• Patented Fixed Focus Technology — full-metal optical bench eliminating manual focusing with CV < 5% chamber-to-chamber, slide-to-slide, and instrument-to-instrument
• 1.4 MP CCD camera with 5x objective magnification detecting cells from 3–180 µm, analyzing more than 20 parameters per classified object
• Customizable BioApps — preset assay templates with automated consecutive analysis of up to 5 samples in under 2 minutes
• FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and cGxP compliant with encrypted data storage, electronic signatures, multi-level user access, and full audit trail
• 500 GB internal storage for up to 160,000 experimental data sets, exportable in MS-Excel, PDF, JPG, and FCS formats
• Compact all-in-one design with a 10.4-inch ultra-sensitive touchscreen
• Optional DeNovo FCS Express software for in-depth flow cytometry-style population analysis

Shared Applications

• Trypan Blue viability — routine cell concentration and viability for PBMCs, CAR-T cells, NK cells, stem cells, splenocytes, and monocytes
• AO/PI dual fluorescence viability — highly accurate viability excluding debris and anucleate cells such as red blood cells; validated on PBMCs and whole blood samples
• GFP/RFP transfection efficiency — fluorescence-based quantification for CAR-T and gene therapy vector optimization
• Antibody affinity (FITC) — analysis of antibody binding kinetics on primary and modified cell types

Choosing the Right Model

• Rigel S2 — ideal for routine cell density, viability, and transfection monitoring in cell therapy production
• Rigel S3 — adds CAR-T/NK-mediated cytotoxicity assays (CFSE/PI/Hoechst) and three-color apoptosis analysis
• Rigel S5 — full multi-color capability including CD marker phenotyping, cell cycle analysis, YFP transfection, and advanced apoptosis