Flow cytometry technology

Flame Photometry and Gas Chromatography (CyTerra) -Aerodynamic Particle Size and Shape Analysis (BIRAL) -Flow Cytometry (Luminex, LLNL) -Semiconductor-Based Ultraviolet Light (DARPA) -Polymer Fluorochrome (Echo Technology) -Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy -Raman Scattering -Infrared Absorption -Terahertz Spectroscopy -UV LIDAR... 

In summary, flow cytometry is clearly useful in evaluating macrophages and their role in toxicity. A major advantage of this technology is the rapid and accurate identification of subpopulations of responding cells from within a mixed population. There is no doubt that the utility of flow cytometry will increase in the future as new fluorescence probes are developed that allow investigators to more clearly assess various macrophage characteristics and the response of these cells to xenobiotics. 

Viability-based technologies Direct epifluorescent filter microscopy Membrane laser scanning Fluorescence cytometry Fluorescence flow cytometry... 

The combination of the specificity of the antigen-antibody interaction with the exquisite sensitivity of fluorescence detection and quantitation yields one of the most widely applicable analytical tools in cell biology (1). Within the last decade, flow cytometry (FCM) has become an integral part of basic immunological research. Elaboration of this technology has been intensively stimulated by a rapidly growing sophistication in monoclonal antibody technology and vice versa (2). 

While it is true that microarray technology is gearing up for proteomics, it is perhaps still too early to predict what role microarrays will ultimately play. Proteins are much more complex molecules than nucleic acids and the suggestion has been made that additional tools and approaches will be needed. Microfluidic devices (electrophoresis, flow cytometry) with miniaturized detectors may also be applicable. 

In the previous chapters, I have discussed what may be thought of as mainstream applications of flow technology. Cells stained for surface and intracellular antigens and nuclei stained for DNA content together constitute a large majority of the particles that flow through the world s cytometers. As noted in the Preface, however, flow cytometry has continued to surprise everyone with its utility in unusual and unpredicted fields of endeavor. By the time this book appears in print, some new applications will almost certainly have progressed into the flow mainstream and other newer applications will have taken their place in the tributaries (is it time to kill this metaphor ). 

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