METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING LIGHT ABSORBING SUBCLASSES OF CELLS IN WHOLE BLOOD

摘要

A method for identifying light- absorbing subclasses of cells of interest from other subclasses of cells in a blood sample by flow cytometry which comprises the steps of: mixing an aliquot of said blood sample with an aqueous reagent composition to form a suspension, wherein the reagent composition comprises a solution containing a sphering agent which is a zwitterionic surfactant; passing said suspension substantially a cell at a time through an area of focused optical illumination; detecting and measuring the light scattered and light absorbed by each cell; and differentiating said cells of said subclass of interest at least in part on the basis of the measured magnitudes of said scattered and absorbed light.