HAEMATOLOGY Sample Sheath fluid Nozzle


Flow cytometry’s ability to measure multiple cellular parameters at once distinguishes it from other analytical techniques. With various fluorescent markers, researchers can determine a cell’s size, internal complexity, and the presence of different surface and intracellular proteins simultaneously.5,9 This broad analysis is especially useful in understanding cellular heterogeneity, such as the diversity within tumour cells or immune cell populations. The quantitative and reproducible


Fluorescence from stained cells


Laser light


Scattered light from all


cells detected


data offered by flow cytometry ensures consistent and reproducible results across experiments. The technology provides exact data on the levels of biomarker expression by quantitatively measuring fluorescence intensity. This reliability is particularly critical in clinical applications, such as monitoring disease progression or evaluating treatment responses, where accuracy directly impacts decision- making.1


Unlike the bulk analysis techniques, which give the average properties of cell populations, flow cytometry analyses individual cells.13


This single- Key components of a flow cytometer.


such as HIV, leukaemia, lymphoma and other clonal cell disorders, and autoimmune diseases.5


n Cell sorting separates specific populations of cells for downstream uses, including stem cell therapy.


n Apoptosis studies explain mechanisms for programmed cell death, critically important in cancer research.


n Stem cell research uses flow cytometry to characterise and separate cells for regenerative medicine.8


Flow cytometry in


haematological malignancy Haematological malignancies include leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, which present intricate cellular changes. It requires high-tech tools to correctly diagnose and classify the disease, and flow cytometry has been one of the crucial technologies in this regard. Detection of measurable residual disease (MRD), the monitoring of post- treatment haematological malignancies is essential for the eradication of cancer cells.1


monitors changes in biomarker expression over the course of therapy, such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy. For instance, in leukaemia, flow cytometry can monitor decreases in specific cancer cell populations, providing real-time information about the effectiveness of the treatment.13-20


This helps the clinician


to change therapy regimens for the best patient outcome.


Flow cytometry ensures accurate diagnosis, aids treatment planning, and improves monitoring due to the multi- dimensional phenotypic data it offers. Thus, patient outcomes are significantly improved.


Flow cytometry’s sensitivity allows


measurable residual disease to be detected, even when the number of remaining malignant cells is below the detection threshold of conventional techniques. This ability can predict relapses and determine need for further treatment.


Therapeutic monitoring technology 34


Advantages of flow cytometry This technology has found widespread use in research and clinical settings because of its unique advantages. It delivers high-throughput, multi- parameter, and reproducible analyses, making it indispensable in diverse applications.6 High throughput flow cytometry can analyse thousands of cells in a single second. In clinical diagnostics, this processing speed is of critical importance as it often decides the future course of the treatment. For example, if a patient has acute leukaemia, quick identification of certain cell markers can expedite the start of targeted therapy, raising the chances of improved prognosis for the patient.


cell resolution is extremely valuable for identifying rare cell populations, such as circulating tumour cells or cancer stem cells, which often play critical roles in disease progression and treatment resistance.


Flow cytometry also captures data


in real-time, which allows for making quick decisions; for instance, treatment decisions for patients with acute leukaemia.


Advanced flow cytometers combine traditional cytometric analysis with imaging capabilities. This integration allows simultaneous quantitative and qualitative assessment, such as analysing cell morphology alongside marker expression.15


This dual functionality


enhances the depth of analysis, particularly in cancer research, where visualising morphological changes can provide additional insights.


Artificial intelligence in flow cytometry Flow cytometry is undergoing a paradigm shift as AI integrates into processing, analysing, and interpreting the data. Potentially, AI can automate many tasks that are currently labour-intensive in flow cytometry and open doors to deeper insights plus increasing the efficiency and accuracy of this technology, making it even more valuable in research and clinical applications.17-22 Artificial intelligence has already demonstrated enormous value in improving a number of processes from flow cytometry workflows. The following


APRIL 2025 WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56