flow cytometry
Meaning of flow cytometry: Flow cytometry rapidly measures thousands of individual cells as they stream past a laser, characterizing their size, internal structure, and surface markers.
Definition of flow cytometry
Flow cytometry is a laboratory technique used to measure characteristics of individual cells within a sample as they pass, one at a time, through a narrow stream of fluid in front of a laser beam. The technique can determine the number of cells present, the percentage that are alive, and physical features such as cell size and internal complexity.
Cells are typically first labeled with fluorescent markers that bind to specific structures or molecules on or within the cell, such as particular proteins on the cell surface. As each labeled cell passes through the laser, the resulting pattern of light scatter and fluorescence is captured and analyzed, allowing thousands of individual cells to be characterized within a short period.
Flow cytometry is widely used to identify and count specific blood and immune cell types, to detect abnormal cells such as those bearing certain tumor markers, and in research requiring detailed characterization of a cell population. Results are generally reported as the proportion of cells within a sample bearing a particular characteristic.
Used in a sentence
Flow cytometry of the blood sample identified an abnormal population of cells bearing a specific surface marker.
Good to know
Flow cytometry results are typically reported as a proportion of cells bearing a particular marker rather than as a standalone diagnosis, so the finding is generally interpreted alongside other clinical and laboratory information.
Word origin
Where “flow cytometry” comes from
Formed from Greek kytos, meaning cell, and metron, meaning measure, the roots of cytometry, describing a technique that measures characteristics of individual cells.