A flow cytometric study of the propidium iodide staining kinetics of human leukocytes and its relationship with chromatin structure

Abstract

A nonstoichiometric staining method based on the employment of propidium iodide at a concentration far below saturation is described. The method is particularly suitable for the measurement of staining kinetics and it allowed us to differentiate cell populations with the same DNA content but different chromatin conformation. Analyses have been performed on normal and pathologic human leukocytes. Normal mononuclear cells have been differentiated from polymorphonuclear cells and lymphoblasts. Copyright © 1982 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.