FCS File Handling
Load FCS Files
r
library(flowCore)
# Read single FCS file
fcs <- read.FCS('sample.fcs', transformation = FALSE, truncate_max_range = FALSE)
# File info
print(fcs)
# Parameter names
colnames(fcs) # Short names
pData(parameters(fcs)) # Full metadata including descriptions
Load Multiple Files
r
# Read multiple files into flowSet
files <- list.files('data', pattern = '\\.fcs$', full.names = TRUE)
fs <- read.flowSet(files, transformation = FALSE, truncate_max_range = FALSE)
# Sample names
sampleNames(fs)
# Access individual samples
fcs1 <- fs[[1]]
Access Expression Data
r
# Get expression matrix expr <- exprs(fcs) head(expr) # Dimensions dim(expr) # cells x channels # Channel statistics summary(expr) # Get specific channels cd4_expr <- expr[, 'CD4']
Channel Metadata
r
# Parameter information params <- pData(parameters(fcs)) print(params) # Parameter columns: # - name: short name (e.g., "FL1-A") # - desc: description (e.g., "CD4") # - range: max value # - minRange: min value # Get channel mapping channel_map <- setNames(params$desc, params$name)
Rename Channels
r
# Rename using descriptions
rename_channels <- function(fcs) {
params <- pData(parameters(fcs))
new_names <- ifelse(is.na(params$desc) | params$desc == '',
params$name, params$desc)
colnames(fcs) <- new_names
return(fcs)
}
fcs_renamed <- rename_channels(fcs)
Subsetting Data
r
# Subset by cells (rows)
fcs_subset <- fcs[1:1000, ]
# Subset by channels (columns)
fcs_markers <- fcs[, c('CD4', 'CD8', 'CD3')]
# Subset by expression values
high_cd4 <- fcs[exprs(fcs)[, 'CD4'] > 1000, ]
Merge flowSets
r
# Combine multiple flowSets fs_combined <- rbind2(fs1, fs2) # Or concatenate into single flowFrame all_data <- fsApply(fs, exprs) all_data <- do.call(rbind, all_data)
Write FCS Files
r
# Write single file write.FCS(fcs, 'output.fcs') # Write flowSet write.flowSet(fs, outdir = 'output_dir')
Sample Metadata
r
# Add sample annotations
pData(fs) <- data.frame(
name = sampleNames(fs),
condition = c('Control', 'Control', 'Treatment', 'Treatment'),
patient = c('P1', 'P2', 'P1', 'P2')
)
# Access
pData(fs)
Basic Visualization
r
library(ggcyto) # Density plot autoplot(fcs, 'FSC-A') # Bivariate plot autoplot(fcs, 'CD4', 'CD8') # Multiple samples autoplot(fs, 'CD4', 'CD8')
Check Data Quality
r
# Time parameter check
if ('Time' %in% colnames(fcs)) {
time <- exprs(fcs)[, 'Time']
plot(time, type = 'l', main = 'Acquisition Time')
}
# Event count per file
fsApply(fs, nrow)
# Check for saturated events
saturation <- apply(exprs(fcs), 2, function(x) mean(x == max(x)) * 100)
print(saturation)
Convert to Data Frame
r
# For use with tidyverse
library(tidyverse)
df <- as.data.frame(exprs(fcs))
df$sample <- 'sample1'
# From flowSet
df_all <- fsApply(fs, function(f) {
d <- as.data.frame(exprs(f))
d$sample <- identifier(f)
d
}, simplify = FALSE)
df_all <- bind_rows(df_all)
Related Skills
- •compensation-transformation - Apply compensation and transforms
- •gating-analysis - Define cell populations
- •clustering-phenotyping - Unsupervised analysis