Principles and Applications of Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting in Companion Animal Medicine

Flow cytometry measures multiple characteristics of single cells using light scatter properties and fluorescence properties of fluorescent probes with specificity to cellular constituents. The use in the veterinary clinical laborary has become more routine in veterinary diagnostic laboratories and institutions and reference laboratories. Common applications in small animal medicine includes quantitation of erythrocytes and leukocytes in automated hemology instruments, detection of antibodies to erythrocytes and platelets, immunophenotyping of leukocytes and lymphocytes in immunodeficiency syndromes or leukemias and lymphomas. DNA content analysis has not gained routine acceptance. Other applications including cell sorting and multiplexing are potential assays of the future.