FLOW-CYTOMETRY RELATED TO RED-CELLS

Researchers in Transfusion Medicine Science have benefited from the us e of the flow cytofluorometer. The flow cytometer has distinct advanta ges over visual examination of antigen-antibody reactions. The now cyt ometer measures fluorescence per cell, and through the use of anti-IgG tagged with a fluorochrome, cells with differing levels of cell-bound IgG can be quantitated. This has been used in the study of allo-and a utoantibodies. Immunohematologists, with the wide range of red cell al loantibodies in many blood group systems, have a seemingly unending su pply of materials to enable studies of red cells. This article describ es the published reports involving flow cytometry related to red cells . Four areas are discussed: detection of red cell-bound IgG, detection of red cell immunogobulins other than IgG, detection and quantitation of red cell antigens, and detection and quantitation of red cell popu lations.