Flow cytometry is a laser-based technology that provides rapid multi-parametric analysis of single cells or particles in solution. It is a powerful tool that has applications in multiple disciplines such as immunology, virology, molecular biology, cancer biology, and infectious disease monitoring. In flow cytometry, a sample containing cells or particles is suspended in a fluid and injected into the flow cytometer instrument. Each particle is analyzed for visible light scatter and one or multiple fluorescence parameters. The technique can measure cell size, cell granularity, total DNA, and other characteristics of cells or particles. Flow cytometry is used to identify and quantify immune cells, characterize hematological malignancies, and analyze DNA. It is also used to detect microorganisms, biomarkers, and protein engineering detection. Flow cytometry has seen dramatic advances over the last 30 years, allowing unprecedented detail in studies of the immune system and other areas of cell biology.
Flow cytometry has a wealth of techniques and applications that are suitable for multiple fields of study. In immunology, it is very effective for the study of the immune system and its response to infectious diseases and cancer. In virology, it can be used to detect and quantify viral particles. In molecular biology, it can be used to analyze DNA content and cell cycle status. In cancer biology, it can be used to predict how aggressive the cancer will be and to help determine if the cancer will respond to certain treatments. In infectious disease monitoring, it can be used to detect and quantify pathogens.
Flow cytometry is an integral component in several clinical areas, including diagnosis, treatment plans, and systemic disease whether static or progressive. It is a widely used, laser-based method for analyzing the expression of cell surface and intracellular molecules. Flow cytometry assays can also assess the purity of isolated subpopulations, analyze cell size and volume, and sort different cell populations, known as fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) .
In summary, flow cytometry is a laser-based technology that provides rapid multi-parametric analysis of single cells or particles in solution. It has a wide range of applications in multiple disciplines such as immunology, virology, molecular biology, cancer biology, and infectious disease monitoring. Flow cytometry is used to identify and quantify immune cells, characterize hematological malignancies, analyze DNA, detect microorganisms, biomarkers, and protein engineering detection. It is an integral component in several clinical areas, including diagnosis, treatment plans, and systemic disease whether static or progressive.
