In FCS Express, to analyze cell sub populations, you create gates and apply those gates using one of many methods.  FCS Express supports five types of drawing gates, and another type, called combination gates, which can  combine any number of other gates in several ways. You can create an unlimited numbers of gates. Our video on gates will show you how easy and powerful they are to use.

Rectangular Gates: Gates that are in a square shape

Elliptical Gates: Gates that are in an elliptical shape

Polygonal Gates: Gates that are in the shape of a polygon which are defined by several vertices and straight lines connecting the vertices.

Freeform Gates: Gates that are drawn in an arbitrary shape. The gate boundaries can be curved.

Marker Gates: Gates that exist only in one dimension.

Applying a Gate

FCS Express makes it easy to to apply a gate (ie. restrict the cells which appear on a plot to the cells that pass through a specific gate).  To apply a gate, simply use the Gate Name list in the Gating toolbar.   Select the plot (or plots), and click on the Gate Name list, and select a gate.

             

Apply a gate	Add a Combination Gate

                        

Flexible Gating Formulas

For more sophisticated gating, you need to combine more than one gate into a formula. To create the formula, simply open a Gate View window, right-click, and select Add Combination gate.  You will then be able to use boolean expressions to create powerful new gates.  Below is an example of using combination gates to include cells in Gate 1 and Gate 2, Gate 1 or in Gate 2, and lastly excluding those cells in Gate 1 and Gate 2.

Gate 1 AND Gate 2	Enter Gating Formula on a plot (Boolean expression) Gate 1 OR Gate 2	NOT (Gate 1 AND Gate 2)