Basic science for the practicing physician: flow cytometry and cell sorting

Abstract

Flow cytometry is a technique used to evaluate multiple parameters of individual cells (or other particles) by measuring the photons they scatter or emit as they stream individually through a light source. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) refers to the same technology with the additional use of 1 or more measured parameters to physically separate subsets of cells. In conjunction with fluorochrome-labeled monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to specific cell targets, one can routinely measure 6 to 8 targets simultaneously using a modern flow cytometer; research laboratories may measure more than a dozen.