Millennium Science
Enabling next-generation research
Flow cytometry is a technique used to detect and measure physical and chemical characteristics of a population of cells or particles. In this process, a sample containing cells or particles is suspended in a fluid and injected into the flow cytometer instrument. The sample is focused to ideally flow one cell at a time through a laser beam, where the light scattered is characteristic to the cells and their components. Cells are often labeled with fluorescent markers so light is absorbed and then emitted in a band of wavelengths. Tens of thousands of cells can be quickly examined and the data gathered are processed by a computer.
Flow cytometry has been around for more than 40 years and allows researchers to harness the power of statistics by analysing large populations of cells using quantitative methods. There have been numerous advances on the traditional technology including imaging flow, spectral flow and benchtop systems that shrink everything down.