Uses and future applications of flow cytometry in immunotoxicity testing

Flow cytometry is an emerging technology that has numerous applications to immunotoxicity testing The use and development of high-speed single-cell la ser-based assays capable of quantitation of fluorescence, light scatter, an d electrical impedance measurements can provide important information on xe nobiotic-induced toxicity in defined target cell populations. The purpose o f this article is to briefly review established and emerging immunotoxicolo gy assays that use flow cytometry. In the coming years it is likely that ma ny new flow cytometry assays will be developed and validated that will impr ove the sensitivity and perhaps specificity of immunotoxicity testing. Sinc e flow cytometry is readily adaptable to high-throughput screening, it is a lso likely that this technology will increasingly find its place in the pre clinical testing of drugs and chemicals in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. (C) 1999 Academic Press.