Center for Flow Cytometry & Cell Sorting

Flow cytometry is widely used diverse analytical technique that has broad applications in many areas of biomedical research. Flow cytometry allows for the rapid and simultaneous multiparametric analysis of the physicochemical characteristics of cells, as well as for cell sorting, the isolation and purification of cells with specific characteristics from a heterogeneous population.

Modern flow cytometers can analyze thousands of cells or particles every second and can actively separate out and isolate cells or particles with specific properties. A flow cytometer is similar to a microscope, but rather than producing an image, it quantifies set parameters for a large number of cells such as cell volume and morphological complexity, cell pigments, cell cycle analysis, kinetics, and proliferation, chromosome analysis and sorting, cell surface antigens (CD markers), intracellular antigens (such as cytokines, secondary mediators, etc.), nuclear antigens, intracellular ionized Ca2+ and Mg2+, membrane potential and fluidity, and measures of apoptosis and cell viability.

A flow cytometer typically contains: (1) a flow cell, in which cells suspended in a liquid, pass in single file through the light (laser) beam; (2) a light source such as mercury or xenon lamps, argon or krypton water-cooled lasers, argon air-cooled lasers, or diode lasers; (3) a series of detectors which translate the light signals into electronic signals proportional to the amount of light collected; (4) a linear or logarithmic amplification system; and (5) a computer for signal analysis.

In this process, cells are typically stained with fluorescent dyes that bind specific cellular components. As cells flow past the laser beam, two processes occur. The light is scattered and the dyes are excited to emit light at a frequency different from the source light. The detectors, located at strategic points, sense fluctuations in the scattered (SSC) and fluorescent (FSC) light, and the signals are translated into electronic signals for storage, display and analysis.

USF Health has been on the forefront of advances in the field of cell therapy for the last decade. Scientists in the College of Medicine were the first to experimentally introduce stem cells into Parkinson's disease patients with some success. College of Medicine faculty have also been on the cutting edge of improving outcomes after bone marrow transplantation subsequent to cancer radiation or chemotherapy. Recently, researchers have continued to make progress using cell therapy modalities to treat heart disease and other related disorders. Future research is expected to advance our understanding of using cell therapies for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases such as ophthalmologic and collagen diseases. An important research core absolutely necessary for scientists working in the field of cell therapy is a flow cytometry and cell sorter core facility. We are currently in the process of creating an Center for Flow Cytometry & Cell Sorting to optimize the excellent research being conducted at USF.

As we are currently developing this facility, we encourage you to contact members of the Flow Cytometry & Cell Sorting subcommittee to provide input you may have on specific equipment that will assist you in your research endeavors. These individuals include: