Some flow cytometry software packages make a distinction between regions and gates. This distinction does not apply in FCS Express. In FCS Express, you create gates and apply them directly to your data. The term "gate" will be used exclusively throughout this manual.

 

 

You can create an unlimited number of individual gates. FCS Express supports seven types of gates.

 

•Elliptical gates: Gates that are oval, oblong, or circular.

 

•Rectangular gates: Gates that are square or rectangular.

 

•Polygonal gates: Gates that are drawn with three or more vertices connected by straight lines.

 

•Freeform gates: Gates that are drawn with various straight and/or curved sections in an irregular shape.

 

•1D gates: Gates that exist only in one dimension, i.e., a one parameter histogram gate or an x-axis plot gate.

 

•Combination gates: Gates that are Boolean combinations of one or more of the other six types of gates.

 

Examples of different gate types are shown in Figure 9.1.