Stained cells can be mailed by express without coming to any harm. Using the Becton Dickinson FACScan Details of how to use the FACScan are best learnt by demonstration and reading the manuals. Basically cells are pumped through the path of a laser. Fluorescence from the DNA binding stain is measured by photomultiplier tubes, the signals from which give a measure of DNA content. For cells stained with propidium iodide the FL-2 channel is used.
Elongated cells can give a spurious drift towards higher DNA contents.
A 2D dot plot of forward scatter against DNA content should make it clear whether cells are actually increasing their DNA content. The FACScan is in Standby mode. Open Cell Quest. Open acquisition templates. Go to Acquire menu Click on connect to cytometer.