Although some years away from practical use, this process may eventually decrease the likelihood of a cancer recurrence after the bone marrow transplant. Flow Cytometry Flow cytometry is based on analysis of light scatter and staining from a continuous sample of cells as they pass a detector. The light source is typically one or more lasers. The detectors capture forward and side scatter of light as each cell flows through the analysis point. This highly sensitive technique allows the characteristics of cells or other particles to be studied in great detail.
Lasers are a good light source because they can provide a bright, narrow, stable beam.
However, the color output of laser light is very restricted. This disadvantage restricts the choices of dyes that can be visualized in a flow cytometer. Increasing the number of lasers allows additional colors to be visualized and increases the sensitivity of the analysis. The flow cytometer that Gross uses in the detection step contains three lasers in a complex arrangement that allows analysis of a large number of experimental parameters, thereby increasing the accuracy of the data. In addition to measuring light scatter, some flow cytometers can sort cells based on the signal they emit.