Cellquest Software !exclusive! -

| File Extension | Purpose | What it contains | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | (Acquisition Template) | Instrument settings | PMT voltages, threshold, compensation matrix, plot layout. Does NOT contain sample data. | | .FCS (Flow Cytometry Standard) | Raw data | Every event’s parameter values (FSC, SSC, FL1, FL2, etc.). This is the universal standard. | | .STA (Statistics) | Calculated results | Exportable statistics from a specific analysis session. |

To use CellQuest data in modern software (FlowJo, FCS Express, R/Bioconductor), export raw .FCS files. CellQuest itself exports statistics: cellquest software

is a software application developed by Becton Dickinson (BD Biosciences) for the acquisition, analysis, and display of flow cytometry data. For nearly two decades, it was the industry-standard program for BD FACScan, FACSort, FACSCalibur, and FACSCanto instruments. | File Extension | Purpose | What it

It is important to note that BD has officially transitioned away from CellQuest. Here is how it compares to its successor, : This is the universal standard

If you are setting up a legacy lab, keep a dedicated Windows XP machine with a serial-to-USB adapter. For analysis, export your .FCS files to FlowJo or R (using flowCore package). But for straightforward, low-throughput experiments, CellQuest still gets the job done.

CellQuest does not auto-update. After moving a gate, go to Stats → Update All Stats . This recalculates percentages and MFI.

To understand CellQuest, one must understand the hardware it ran on.