Patent ID: 7049093

Claim:
A method of classifying and counting leukocytic cells and erythroid cells in a bone marrow fluid comprising leukocytic cells and erythroid cells and lipid particles comprising the steps of: (1) (a) mixing a sample of the bone marrow fluid with an erythrocyte lysing agent to lyse erythrocytes in the sample, thereby rendering leukocytic cells, erythroid cells and lipid particles in the sample suitable for staining, and (b) staining the sample with a fluorescent dye for producing a difference in intensity of fluorescence among the leukocytic cells, the erythroid cells, and the lipid particles; (2) introducing the resulting sample to a flow cytometer to detect at least one kind of scattered light and at least one kind of fluorescence; (3) classifying the lipid particles, the leukocytic cells and the erythroid cells by the difference in the intensities of their fluorescence and their scattered light; and (4) obtaining a count of the leukocytic cells and erythroid cells in the step of (3).