Flow cytometry and its applications in transfusion medicine

In transfusion medicine, flow cytometry (FCM) is a methodology combining laser radiation, optics and a computerized treatment of numerous results. We can measure size, cellularity and fluorescence intensity of cells or particles in suspension after the binding of appropriate fluorescent antibodies or fluorescent dyes. The main utilisation of FCM in transfusion medicine is for quality control of the process of leukocyte reduction in red cell concentrates or in platelet units, using commercial kits. In addition, if is used for the enumeration of CD 34 positive cells before bone marrow transplantation and for control of platelet function in platelet units. For clinical investigations, FCM may be used for red cell phenotyping, essentially to detect minor populations (chimerism), for the estimation of red cell survival, or for the detection of fetal erythrocytes. In the field of platelet immunology, FCM is an essential tool for detecting platelet antibodies (auto or allo), for platelet phenotyping or for cross-matching. In the future perhaps, FCM will permit us to detect bacterial contamination or prion protein in transfused blood cells. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.