Flow Cytometry

Flow Cytometry represents an analytical technology measuring physical and chemical characteristics of cells or particles suspended in fluid streams passing through laser beams, enabling rapid quantification of multiple parameters simultaneously for thousands to millions of individual cells. This powerful technique detects light scatter providing information about cell size and internal complexity, plus fluorescence from labelled antibodies binding surface or intracellular markers.

The biopharmaceutical industry employs flow cytometry extensively across research, development, manufacturing, and clinical applications. Immunophenotyping characterises immune cell populations through surface marker expression, supporting clinical trials monitoring treatment effects. Cell therapy manufacturing utilises flow cytometry for starting material characterisation, process monitoring, and final product release testing. Drug discovery screens compound effects on cellular processes including apoptosis, cell cycle progression, or receptor expression. Advanced capabilities include spectral flow cytometry, mass cytometry employing metal-tagged antibodies enabling 40-plus simultaneous measurements, and imaging flow cytometry. As cellular therapies advance and precision medicine demands comprehensive cellular characterisation, flow cytometry remains essential technology.