Flow Cytometry In-Depth Focus 2018

In this In-Depth Focus:

• The rise of high-throughput flow cytometry in drug discovery
  Flow cytometry has played a key role in drug development, largely due to its ability to measure up to twenty parameters on single cells or particles suspended in a fluid stream. Typically, cells are labelled with fluorescent markers and passed through a series of lasers, after which the resultant fluorescent signals are collected and analysed. A major problem for flow cytometry’s utilisation in drug screening, however, has been the historically slow process by which samples are analysed, which requires single tubes to be manually recorded individually.
• How recent advances in flow cytometry can aid drug discovery
  For many years, screening assays have been based on high-content imaging systems. However, recent advances in the field of flow cytometry have meant that flow-based assays are now more prevalent. The power of flow cytometry to utilise multiple lasers, multiple fluorochromes and multiplexed assays has meant that assays are not restricted to factors such as cell viability, proliferation and basic functional tests. In addition, the ability to interface with robotic staining and handling platforms and deal with a variety of plate formats means that flow cytometry is becoming an essential part of today’s drug discovery.