Application of flow cytometry to detect cell apoptosis / 中国组织工程研究

Flow cytometry (FCM) is a technology for fast qualitation, quantitative analysis and separation of single cells or other biological particles. The method is rapid, sensitive and accurate, and its objective and direct result can be analyzed with multi-parameters simultaneously. The morphological, biochemical and molecular changes during apoptosis include cellular shrinkage, permeability transition of plasma membrane, caspases activation, dissipation of mitochondrial trans-membrane potential, phosphatidylserine redistribution, calcium flux and DNA fragmentation and content. The review outlined the methods to characterize, identify and quantify apoptoUc cells by flow cytometry to further determine cell apoptosis.