Flow cytometer. Technicians use a flow cytometer to analyse a sample of human blood cells, in this case during a test for leukaemia. The cells have be

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Flow cytometer. Technicians use a flow cytometer to analyse a sample of human blood cells, in this case during a test for leukaemia. The cells have been tagged with a fluorescent antibody that binds to certain types of cells. The cells are then passed through a beam of bright light in a single file. This light causes tagged cells to fluoresce so that they can be counted by a detector. The technique can be used to assess a patient's immune status by counting the various types of white blood cells present in a blood sample. Leukaemia is caused by cancer in the bone marrow, and leads to abnormally high numbers of white blood cells being produced.

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Photo credit: © ED YOUNG/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: analysis, blood, cell, clinical, counter, counting, cytometer, cytometry, flow, fluorescence, haematology, healthcare, hematology, hospital, leukaemia, leukemia, medical, medicine, sorter, test, testing, white