What are the Applications of Flow Cytometry in Histology?
In histology, flow cytometry is particularly valuable for a wide range of applications:
- Cell Sorting: Flow cytometry can be used to sort and isolate specific cell types from a heterogeneous population, enabling detailed studies of particular cell subsets. - Immunophenotyping: This technique is used to identify cells based on the presence of specific cell surface and intracellular markers, which is crucial for diagnosing diseases like leukemia and lymphoma. - Cell Cycle Analysis: By measuring DNA content, flow cytometry helps in understanding cell cycle dynamics, proliferation rates, and identifying cells in different phases of the cell cycle. - Apoptosis Detection: Flow cytometry can assess apoptotic cells by using markers that identify changes in cell membrane integrity, DNA fragmentation, and other apoptotic features. - Functional Assays: Various assays can be performed to measure cellular functions such as phagocytosis, enzyme activity, and cytokine production.