Detection of intracellular cytokines in dendritic cells

The detection of intracellular cytokines using flow cytometry is a relatively new technique that allows simultaneous labeling of cytokines and cell surface proteins. In contrast with other techniques such as ELISA, bioassays, or PCR that have been used to examine cytokine production in cell cultures, intracellular cytokine labeling allows the investigator to measure cytokine production by individual cells without prior cell sorting. Although one can analyze the production of cytokines by individual cells using ELISPOT, immunohistochemistry, PCR, in situ hybridization, and ribonuclease protection assays, these methods are more laborious and technically demanding than intracellular cytokine staining using flow cytometry (1).