New tools in cytometry

Morphologie. 2016 Dec;100(331):199-209. doi: 10.1016/j.morpho.2016.05.001. Epub 2016 Jun 29.

Abstract

Cytometry aims to analyze cells, of any type, using dedicated instruments. The quantitative aspect makes flow cytometry (FCM) a good complementary tool for morphology. Most of the identification tools are based on immunostaining of cell structure details and more and more tools are available in terms of specificities and labels. FCM is under exponential development thanks to technical, immunological and data analysis progresses. Actual generations are now routinely using 6 to 10 simultaneous immuno-labeling on 20 to 100,000 cells, at high speed and short sample preparation and can easily detect rare events at frequency below 10-4 cells. Data interpretation is complex and requires expertise. Mathematical tools are available to support analysis and classification of cells based. Cells from tissues can also be analyzed by FCM after mechanical and or enzymatic separation, but in situ cells can also be analyzed with the help of cytometry. Very new instruments bring spectral analysis, image in flow and mass spectrometry. Medical applications are very broad, notably in hemopathies, immunology, solid tumors, but also microbiology, toxicology, drug discovery, food and environmental industry. But, the limit of FCM is its dependence on operator from sample preparation, instrument settings up to data analysis and a strong effort is now under progress for standardization and constitution of international data bank for references and education.

Keywords: Analyse cellulaire quantitative; Cell analysis; Cytométrie en flux; Flow cytometry; New technology; Nouvelles technologies; Quantitative cytometry.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Drug Discovery / instrumentation
  • Flow Cytometry / instrumentation*
  • Flow Cytometry / methods*
  • Flow Cytometry / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Sensitivity and Specificity