ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 9.1 Conventional Cytometers......................................................................... 237 9.2 Microflow Cytometers .............................................................................. 240
9.2.1 Particle Focusing Systems............................................................ 241 9.2.1.1 Hydrodynamic Focusing ............................................... 241 9.2.1.2 Small Constriction .......................................................... 245 9.2.1.3 Dielectrophoretic Focusing............................................ 246
9.2.2 Detection Systems ......................................................................... 255 9.2.2.1 Optical Detection ............................................................ 255 9.2.2.2 Impedance Detection...................................................... 256
9.2.3 Sorting and Counting................................................................... 258 9.3 Summary..................................................................................................... 259 References ............................................................................................. 259
Flow cytometers are widely used for rapidly analyzing large populations of cells and other particulate or molecular analytes that have been captured on the surface of carrier particles. The analysis speed is in the range of 105 to 106 particles per minute. In addition, particles can be sorted based on their distinct dielectric or fluorescence properties. These capabilities have made flow cytometers indispensable in bioindustrial research and clinical diagnostic applications for the last 40 years [1-4].
