What does forward scatter in flow cytometry used to assess?
(A) Cell death (B) Cell size (C) Cell granules (D) Cell fluorescence
(B) Ans: B. Cell sizeFlow cytometry:Technique for counting, examining & soing microscopic paicles suspended in a stream of fluid.Allows simultaneous multi-parametric analysis of physical and/or chemical characteristics of single cells flowing through an optical and/or electronic detection apparatus.Measures optical & fluorescence characteristics of single cells.Direction of light & interpretation:Direction of light scattered in forward Scatter (FS):For cell size.Liver cells will have more forward scatter (FS) than dead and apoptotic cellsDirection of light scattered in side scatter (SS):For density of cells (granularity, vacuoles & membrane size).Granulocytes/monocytes have more granularity or vacuoles a more side scattering (SS).(Ref Hematology: Clinical Principles and Applications/p456).