Microflow cytometry in studies of programmed tumor cell death

Abstract

Flow cytometry is one of the core technologies for single cell analysis and sorting based on fluorescent markers and functional probes. Nevertheless, popular adoption and proliferation of this technology is still limited by high costs, need for dedicated personnel, lack of miniaturization and requirements for large sample volumes. In this work, we demonstrate that advanced multiparameter assays to track the caspase-dependent tumor cell death can be rapidly performed using an innovative microfluidic flow cytometry (μFCM) system. This enabling technology features a user-friendly chip-based system integrated with the dedicated off-chip electronic interface. It can perform multivariate analysis using sampling volumes as small as 10 μl. We also for the first time, present evidence that microfluidic flow cytometry can be used to resolve the DNA content and track the pharmacologically induced activation of caspases and dissipation of mitochondrial inner membrane potential (ΔΨm) in relation to the cell cycle in living human tumor cells. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.