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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
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Optimized Staining and Proliferation Modeling Methods for Cell Division Monitoring using Cell Tracking Dyes
Published on: December 13, 2012
Flow cytometric analysis of cell division by dye dilution
A Bruce Lyons1, Kathleen V Doherty
1Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, South Australia.
Current Protocols in Cytometry
|September 5, 2008
Summary
This study details a cell tracking method using carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) to monitor cell division. CFSE enables tracking of up to eight cell generations in vitro and in vivo for extended periods.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Immunology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Monitoring cell proliferation is crucial for understanding immune responses and cellular dynamics.
- Existing methods may lack the resolution or longevity for comprehensive cell division analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a reliable method for tracking cell division using a fluorescent dye.
- To enable the quantification of successive cell generations in various biological contexts.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) as an intracellular fluorescent label.
- CFSE is equally distributed to daughter cells, allowing for the discrimination of cell division rounds.
- The technique is applicable to both in vitro and in vivo cell division studies.
Main Results:
- CFSE allows for the resolution of up to eight successive cell generations.
- The long-lived nature of CFSE permits analysis for several months post-transfer.
- CFSE's spectral compatibility allows for simultaneous immunophenotyping of dividing cells.
Conclusions:
- CFSE is a robust and versatile tool for tracking cell proliferation and division.
- This technique facilitates detailed analysis of cellular kinetics in immunological and developmental studies.
- The ability to combine proliferation tracking with immunophenotyping enhances cellular analysis capabilities.
