Micro-community cytometry: sensing changes in cell health and glycoconjugate expression by imaging and flow cytometry

Discerning the extent of biologically relevant heterogeneity presents unique challenges to both microscopy and flow cytometry. Micro-environmental influences and stochastic changes in cellular behaviour can act to mask the origins of both progression and therapeutic resistance in tumour cell systems. In part the dimensionality of different and frequently metastable states can be assessed by multi-parameter flow cytometry with unparalleled statistical robustness. Complementary application of imaging can provide valuable insights into the complex temporal changes that can occur in cell micro-communities either spontaneously or in response to selection pressure. With an extensive range of methodologies for the labelling of cells there are multiple options for tracking cells, defining fate and the re-construction of provenance and behavioural history. The challenge is highlighted by attempts to identify the critical glycosylation events modifying the function of cell surface proteins. Central to a cytometric approach is the availability of methods that reveal cell health and are compatible with the detection of cell surface changes within dynamic micro-communities. The review briefly addresses the options for sensing cell health and the co-application of an antibody mimetic for detection of cell surface glycoconjugate expression accessible for both imaging and flow cytometry.