3-6 CELL-DYN 3000 System Operator’s Manual
9140240E — May 1995
Principles of Operation Chapter 3
Introduction to Flow Cytometry
The CELL-DYN 3000 uses flow cytometric techniques to analyze the
WBC subpopulations. This section gives a brief introduction to the
principles of flow cytometry.
2
“Flow cytometry is a process in which individual cells or other biological
particles are made to pass in single file in a fluid stream by a sensor or
sensors which measure physical or chemical characteristics of the cells
or particles.”
3
Flow cytometry enables the rapid screening of large numbers of cells
beyond the capability of traditional methods and provides quantitative
cell analysis at the single-cell level. The basic components of a flow
cytometer include:
A sample collector and transporter
A flow system
A light source and focusing optics
Signal detectors
Data collection and storage
Data analysis and display
In a flow cytometer, the cell suspension is pumped from the specimen
container through a sample tube into a special flow chamber with a small
opening at the tip. The suspension is then injected into a stream of fast-
moving, cell-free liquid (sheath fluid). Since the two liquids travel at
different rates of speed, they do not intermingle. This is called laminar
flow. The special geometry of the flow cell and the flow rate of the sheath
fluid forces the cells into single file. This process is known as
hydrodynamic focusing. (See Figure3.1 for a drawing of the WBC flow
cell.)
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