Patent ID: 7504265

Claim:
A flow cytometry method for detecting a target species a sample, comprising the steps of: providing an oil-water flow cell, providing a mixing chamber connected to said oil-water flow cell, said mixing chamber containing oil and water, providing antibody-coated amphiphilic beads in said mixing chamber, mixing the sample with fluorescently labeled antibodies specific for the target species and with said oil, water, and antibody-coated amphiphilic beads in said mixing chamber thereby attaching the target species in said sample to said amphiphilic beads and said fluorescently labeled antibodies, providing a filter positioned between the mixing chamber and the flow cell for recycling unattached fluorescently labeled antibodies, injecting said mixed sample, oil, water, antibody coated amphiphilic beads and fluorescently labeled antibodies from said mixing chamber into said oil-water flow cell thereby providing an oil and water combination with an interface between said oil and said water, maintaining the target species said antibody-coated amphiphilic beads and said fluorescently labeled antibodies in said oil and water combination in said oil-water flow cell allowing the target species, antibody-coated amphiphilic beads and said fluorescently labeled antibodies to reach said interface, and optically detecting the target species at said interface.