Flow cytometry in biotechnology

Flow cytometry is a general method for rapidly analyzing large numbers of c ells individually using light-scattering, fluorescence, and absorbence meas urements. The power of this method lies both in the wide range of cellular parameters that can be determined and in the ability to obtain information on how these parameters are distributed in the cell population. Flow cytome tric assays have been developed to determine both cellular characteristics such as size, membrane potential, and intracellular pH, and the levels of c ellular components such as DNA, protein, surface receptors, and calcium. Me asurements that reveal the distribution of these parameters in cell populat ions are important for biotechnology, because they better describe the popu lation than the average values obtained from traditional techniques. This M ini-Review provides an overview of the principles of flow cytometry, with d escriptions of methods used to measure various cellular parameters and exam ples of the application of flow cytometry in biotechnology. Finally, a disc ussion of the challenges and limitations of the method is presented along w ith a future outlook.