What is the purpose of flow cytometry?

Flow cytometry is a cell analysis technique that was first used in the 1950s to measure the volume of cells in a rapidly flowing fluid stream as they passed in front of a viewing aperture.

Why is flow cytometry important in immunology?

Flow cytometry is a powerful tool to analyse multiple parameters on an individual cell basis. Cell populations can be characterised using a combination of antigens both on the surface and intracellularly. Cell sorting based on flow cytometry is used to separate cells into populations of interest.

How is flow cytometry used in hematology?

Flow cytometry provides rapid analysis of multiple characteristics of single cells. Flow cytometry is used for immunophenotyping of a variety of specimens, including whole blood, bone marrow, serous cavity fluids, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and solid tissues.

What is SSC flow cytometry?

side scatter
The light scatter is measured by two optical detectors. One detector measures scatter along the path of the laser (1). This parameter is referred to as forward scatter (FSC). The other detector measures scatter at a ninety degree angle relative to the laser (1). This parameter is called side scatter (SSC).

What do my flow cytometry results mean?

Flow cytometry can identify the type of cells in a blood or bone marrow sample, including the types of cancer cells. It detects types of cancer cells based on either the presence or the absence of certain protein markers (antigens) on a cell’s surface.

What are some limitations involved in flow cytometry?

There are a number of both limitations and advantages to using flow cytometry and fluorescent automatic cell sorting. Limitations are that the machines are costly, and the training needed to properly use them is extensive. The main advantage is that they reduce considerably the time cost associated with isolation work.

Why would a doctor order a flow cytometry?

What is SSC in flow cytometry?

In flow cytometry, the light scattered by cells is measured by two optical detectors: forward scatter (FSC) that detects scatter along the path of the laser, and side scatter (SSC) which measures scatter at a ninety-degree angle relative to the laser.

What are the pros and cons of FACS?

What Are the Advantages & Disadvantages of Flow Cytometry?

• Advantage: Subpopulation Analysis.
• Advantage: Spots Things That Alternatives Don’t.
• Disadvantage: Commonly Unnecessary.
• Disadvantage: Too Slow.

What do the results of my flow cytometry mean?

What Do the Results Mean? Flow cytometry can provide information that is used to diagnose, stage and monitor blood cancers. It can also be used to test for minimal residual disease (MRD), the number of cancer cells remaining in the body after treatment.

What are the advantages of flow cytometry?

The two greatest advantages of flow cytometry are its ability to measure a large number of parameters (2 to 30 or more) on the same sample and its ability to collect information from millions of cells in a matter of seconds.

What is flow cytometry used to diagnose?

Flow cytometry can also be used to measure the amount of DNA in cancer cells (called ploidy). Instead of using antibodies to detect protein antigens, cells can be treated with special dyes that react with DNA. If there’s a normal amount of DNA, the cells are said to be diploid.

How to interpret flow cytometry?

Flow cytometry is a laboratory method used to detect, identify, and count specific cells. This method can also identify particular components within cells. This information is based on physical characteristics and/or markers called antigens on the cell surface or within cells that are unique to that cell type.