Flow cytometry is a technology that simultaneously measures and then analyzes multiple physical characteristics of single particles, usually cells, as they flow in a fluid stream through a beam of light. The properties measured include a particle’s relative size, relative granularity or internal complexity, and relative fluorescence intensity. These characteristics are determined using an optical-to-electronic coupling system that records how the cell or particle scatters incident laser light and emits fluorescence.Flow cytometry is routinely used in the diagnosis of health disorders, especially blood cancers, but has many other applications in basic research, clinical practice and clinical trials. A common variation is to physically sort particles based on their properties, so as to purify populations of interest.(1. , 2.)
The basic flow cytometry (3.)
Mack Fulwyler was the inventor of the to today's flow cytometers - particularly the cell sorter. He developed this in 1965. The first fluorescence based flow cytometry device was developed in 1968 by Wolfgang Göhde from the University of Münster. This was first commercialized in 1969 by German developer and manufacturer Partec through Phywe AG in Göttingen.(2.)
Mack Fulwyler, The inventor of Flow Cytometer (4.)
Name of the technology
The original name of the flow cytometry technology was "pulse cytophotometry" , based on the first patent application on fluorescence-based flow cytometry. At the 5th American Engineering Foundation Conference on Automated Cytology in Pensacola (Florida) in 1976 - eight years after the introduction of the first fluorescence-based flow cytometer (1968) - it was agreed to commonly use the name "flow cytometry", a term that quickly became popular.(2.)
The above are few of images which gives a basic idea about the technique. These will be explained in next slides.
References:
1. Introduction to Flow Cytometry: A Learning Guide. Manual Part Number: 11-11032-01 April, 2000. (http://www.stemcell.umn.edu/prod/groups/med/@pub/@med/documents/asset/med_80691.pdf)
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_cytometry
3. Image : The basic flow cytometry
4. Image : Mack Fulwyler, The inventor of Flow Cytometer
http://www.cyto.purdue.edu/cdroms/cyto10a/cytometryhistory/individualhistories/fulwyler.html
