Past and present concepts in flow cytometry: a European perspective

The development of flow cytometric instrumentation, methods and research concepts in Europe has been a continuous driving force for the general scientific advancement in this area over the years. This review addresses early European concepts of continuing interest with regard to instrumentation, data analysis, clinical and eperimental DNA analysis, cell function and microbiology at their worldwide first appearence while flow cytometric immunology and immunophenotyping will be covered separately. Flow cytometry represents an efficient approach to the enormous complexity of molecular cell architecture and cell function by the analysis of apparent molecular cell phenotypes in heterogeneous cell samples. The present merger of flow and image cytometry into the method independent cytomics discipline increases the potential of cell analysis very significantly. It opens the way for predictive medicine as well as for predictive cytopathology and predictive cytology in everyday clinical and medical practice. Current progress is driven by joint advances in molecular fluorescence technologies and instrument development. This complements the analysis of genome sequence information in an efficient way.