A kit for characterizing cell populations in a human tissue sample, comprising a fluorescent viability dye and at least one cytometric panel comprising distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45 and at least five additional distinct human cellular targets, wherein said cytometric panels are selected from the group consisting of: a) a cytometric panel for identifying innate immune cell populations comprising distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD11b, CD14, HLA-DR, CD16, CD33 and optionally CD66b; b) a cytometric panel for identifying lymphocyte populations comprising: i. distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD11b, and to at least one of TcR-Va24Jα18, CD19 and CD20, and ii. a plurality of lineage-specific antibodies, comprising: at least one antibody directed to a human monocyte/macrophage cellular target and at least one antibody directed to a human granulocyte cellular target, wherein if said panel comprises an antibody directed to TcR-Va24Jα18, said lineage-specific antibodies further comprise at least one antibody directed to a human B cell cellular target; and c) a cytometric panel for identifying dendritic cells populations comprising: i. distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD14, HLA-DR, CD1c, CD141 and CD16, and to at least one of CD123, CD303 and CD304, and ii. a plurality of lineage-specific antibodies comprising: at least one antibody directed to a human T cell cellular target, at least one antibody directed to a human B cell cellular target and at least one antibody directed to a human granulocyte cellular target; wherein the distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies within a panel are labelled with non-equivalent fluorophores, enabling the separation of cells bound by said antibodies by flow cytometry in a single measurement step. a) a cytometric panel for identifying innate immune cell populations comprising distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD11b, CD14, HLA-DR, CD16, CD33 and optionally CD66b; b) a cytometric panel for identifying lymphocyte populations comprising: i. distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD11b, and to at least one of TcR-Va24Jα18, CD19 and CD20, and ii. a plurality of lineage-specific antibodies, comprising: at least one antibody directed to a human monocyte/macrophage cellular target and at least one antibody directed to a human granulocyte cellular target, wherein if said panel comprises an antibody directed to TcR-Va24Jα18, said lineage-specific antibodies further comprise at least one antibody directed to a human B cell cellular target; and i. distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD11b, and to at least one of TcR-Va24Jα18, CD19 and CD20, and ii. a plurality of lineage-specific antibodies, comprising: at least one antibody directed to a human monocyte/macrophage cellular target and at least one antibody directed to a human granulocyte cellular target, wherein if said panel comprises an antibody directed to TcR-Va24Jα18, said lineage-specific antibodies further comprise at least one antibody directed to a human B cell cellular target; and c) a cytometric panel for identifying dendritic cells populations comprising: i. distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD14, HLA-DR, CD1c, CD141 and CD16, and to at least one of CD123, CD303 and CD304, and ii. a plurality of lineage-specific antibodies comprising: at least one antibody directed to a human T cell cellular target, at least one antibody directed to a human B cell cellular target and at least one antibody directed to a human granulocyte cellular target; i. distinct fluorophore-labeled antibodies directed to human CD45, CD14, HLA-DR, CD1c, CD141 and CD16, and to at least one of CD123, CD303 and CD304, and ii. a plurality of lineage-specific antibodies comprising: at least one antibody directed to a human T cell cellular target, at least one antibody directed to a human B cell cellular target and at least one antibody directed to a human granulocyte cellular target;