Flow Cytometry: A Blessing and a Curse
Biomedicines, vol. 9, pp. 1613
Abstract
Flow cytometry is a laser-based technology generating a scattered and a fluorescent light signal that enables rapid analysis of the size and granularity of a particle or single cell. In addition, it offers the opportunity to phenotypically characterize and collect the cell with the use of a variety of fluorescent reagents. These reagents include but are not limited to fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies, fluorescent expressing protein-, viability-, and DNA-binding dyes. Major developments in reagents, electronics, and software within the last 30 years have greatly expanded the ability to combine up to 50 antibodies in one single tube. However, these advances also harbor technical risks and interpretation issues in the identification of certain cell populations which will be summarized in this viewpoint article. It will further provide an overview of different potential applications of flow cytometry in research and its possibilities to be used in the clinic.
Authors 3
-
Hannah K. Drescher corresponding
Harvard University · Massachusetts General Hospital
Affiliation as printed
Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
-
Sabine Weiskirchen Aachen Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC)
RWTH Aachen University · Universitätsklinikum Aachen
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany
-
Ralf Weiskirchen Aachen Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC)
RWTH Aachen University · Universitätsklinikum Aachen
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Molecular Pathobiochemistry, Experimental Gene Therapy and Clinical Chemistry (IFMPEGKC), RWTH University Hospital Aachen, D-52074 Aachen, Germany