Tools to Conduct Science

Flow cytometry is a system for rapidly analyzing and differentiating cells or particles as they move in a liquid stream through single or multiple lasers. The laser beam strikes the particles and measures their optical and fluorescent characteristics through light-scattering and fluorescence emission. Light scattering is measured through Forward Scatter (FSC) which indicates the size of the cells, and Side Scatter (SSC) which indicates the cell’s granularity. On the other hand, fluorescent characteristics are measured depending on whether the molecules carry antibodies, dyes, or fluorescent proteins.