Role of Flow Cytometry in Molecular Biology

Flow cytometry is a powerful tool with applications in immunology, molecular biology, bacteriology, virology, cancer biology and infectious disease monitoring. It has seen dramatic advances over the last 30 years, allowing unprecedented detailed studies of the immune system and other areas of cell biology. Flow cytometry combines fluid dynamics, optics, and fluorescence detection, has emerged as a cornerstone in molecular biology. It provides for rapid and multiparametric analysis of single cells in suspension. It utilizes lasers as light sources to produce both scattered light and fluorescent signals that are collected by detectors (photodiodes or photomultiplier tubes). Using this technique, cell populations can be analysed and/or sorted based on their fluorescent or light scattering properties. In this chapter we discuss multifaceted applications of flow cytometry, detailing its pivotal role in understanding cellular processes and unravelling molecular mechanisms. From cell cycle analysis to gene expression profiling, this chapter explores where flow cytometry intersects with molecular biology.