Agilent Seahorse XF Analyzer – Introduction

The Agilent Seahorse XF Analyzer is an advanced cell metabolism analysis platform developed by Agilent Technologies for real-time measurement of cellular bioenergetics and metabolic function. The system enables researchers to simultaneously analyze mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic activity by measuring the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) of living cells. It has become a widely adopted technology in cell biology, cancer research, immunology, drug discovery, neuroscience, metabolic disease research, and biotechnology applications.

The Seahorse XF platform is based on extracellular flux analysis technology, which provides a direct and dynamic view of cellular energy metabolism. Unlike traditional endpoint assays, the system allows scientists to monitor live cells continuously and observe how cells respond to metabolic changes, pharmaceutical compounds, genetic modifications, or environmental conditions. This real-time capability provides valuable insights into cellular function and metabolic pathways.

A major advantage of the Agilent Seahorse XF Analyzer is its ability to measure two key parameters of cellular metabolism: oxygen consumption rate (OCR), which reflects mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and respiratory activity, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), which indicates glycolytic activity. By analyzing these parameters, researchers can evaluate mitochondrial health, energy production, metabolic flexibility, and cellular stress responses.

The Seahorse XF technology uses specialized sensor cartridges containing optical fluorescent sensors that detect oxygen and proton changes in the assay medium above the cells. During measurement cycles, the sensor probes temporarily create a small measurement chamber above the cells, allowing highly sensitive detection of metabolic changes without damaging the samples. After each measurement cycle, normal cellular conditions are restored.

Agilent offers multiple Seahorse XF analyzer models, including the Seahorse XF Pro Analyzer, XF96 Analyzer, XF HS Mini Analyzer, and XF24 Analyzer, supporting different throughput requirements. These systems can analyze multiple samples simultaneously and are compatible with various cell types, including adherent cells, suspension cells, primary cells, stem cells, and immune cells.

The Seahorse XF Analyzer is widely used in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research for drug screening, toxicity studies, mitochondrial disease research, cancer metabolism studies, and immunotherapy development. Researchers can perform pathway analysis using established assay kits such as the Mito Stress Test, Glycolysis Stress Test, and Cell Energy Phenotype Test.

The system is supported by Agilent Seahorse Analytics Software, which provides automated data processing, visualization, normalization, and reporting functions. Combined with standardized assay reagents and consumables, the platform enables consistent and reproducible metabolic analysis.

With its powerful real-time metabolic measurement capability, flexible throughput options, and broad biological applications, the Agilent Seahorse XF Analyzer has become an essential instrument for modern life science research. It provides researchers with a powerful tool for understanding cellular metabolism and accelerating discoveries in biomedical science and drug development.

Agilent Seahorse XF Analyzer Technical Specifications