Flow Cytometry

Traditional flow cytometry uses a limited number of detectors to capture specific wavelength ranges, allowing for the measurement of multiple cellular parameters simultaneously.

Spectral flow cytometry, a more advanced technique, employs numerous detectors to measure narrow wavelengths across the entire emission spectrum, creating unique spectral fingerprints for each fluorophore.

Flow cytometry, cell sorting, and cell counting are related both used in cellular analysis. A flow cytometer is an analytical instrument that examines individual cells as they pass through a laser and measures multiple characteristics simultaneously. Without sorting capabilities, these systems are referred to as cell analyzers.
 

A cell sorter takes flow cytometry a step further by not only analyzing cells but also physically separating them based on specific characteristics. While a standard flow cytometer simply observes and discards cells after measurement, a cell sorter can isolate specific cell populations with desired traits and dispense them into tubes or plates, making it invaluable for research requiring pure cell populations.
 

Cell counters, are the most straightforward of the three. They provide a quick and simple method to quantify cell populations before more complex analyses, serving as an essential first step in many cell research workflows.  Cell counting capability can be incorporated into either a cell analyzer or cell sorter.

The Agilent NovoCyte flow cytometer can analyze a wide range of samples, including PBMCs, whole blood, cultured cells (adherent and non-adherent), cells from solid tissues, microbial populations, marine samples, and extracellular vesicles.