[Cytogenetic study of cell sub-populations in human leukemias (AML, CML) sorted by flow cytometry]

Multivariate analysis, flow cytometry and sorting were used to distinguish and enrich subpopulations of bone marrow cells in cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia and blast crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia: blast cells with a high rate of S/G2-M phase of the cell cycle; non-blast cells or blasts with a low rate of S/G2-M. These populations were separated on the basis of their forward angle and large angle light scatter of the laser beam, and of their Hoechst 33342 fluorescence intensity. About one million cells of each population were sorted and sorting purity was controlled by cytometry and microscope examination. Cell viability was good. Karyotypes of sorted cell populations were carried out using a cell synchronisation technique and showed different chromosomal markers.