Flow Cytometry Flashcards
What does flow cytometry allow?
scientists to detect, count and analyse cells as they flow past a detector in solution, one by one
Describe flow cytometry.
As the cells in solution flow through the chamber, they pass a light source (a laser).
The passage of the cells interrupts the beam of light and causes it to scatter.
The way in which the light bounces off each cell can provide information about its characteristics, for example the cell size.
What may be carried out on cells prior to flow cytometry?
Cells may also be fluorescently labelled and, as they pass the laser, they will emit light which can also be detected.
What happens to this scattering of light and/or fluorescence?
it is picked up by a detector and converted to electrical signals to allow the type and number of cells in the solution to be ascertained
