Flow Cytometry Reagents

Antibodies for flow cytometry allow scientists to detect specific antigens and characterize the proteins on the surface of cells. Similar to other immunoassays, antibodies used in flow cytometry can be directly labeled with a fluorescent dye or bind to a secondary antibody carrying the fluorescent marker. The specialized nature of antibodies enables flow cytometry to detect different cell types according to their fluorescent color, each representing an antigen-antibody interaction.

Yes. In fact, discriminating between viable, living cells and non-viable dead cells is crucial for accurate flow cytometry analysis. The presence of dead cells in your samples may cause your antibodies to bind non-specifically, leading to false positives and skewed results. Therefore, when analyzing your results, make sure you distinguish between whole cells and cell debris for accurate results.

Any suspended cell or particle between 0.2 and 150 micrometers can be used for flow cytometry.

The most common samples for flow cytometry include:

• Non-adherent cells from culture
• Waterborne microorganisms
• Bacteria
• Yeast
• Bone marrow
• Peripheral blood with red cells removed by lysis
• Other body fluids