Application of flow cytometry in transplantation medicine

Immunological rejection remains a major barrier to successful organ transplantation. Consequently, immunosuppressive intervention to prevent or control the rejection process renders the transplant recipient susceptible to infectious diseases. Flow cytometry has become a useful tool for monitoring immunological responses in transplant recipients. There are three areas of clinical transplantation immunology that may benefit from this technology. First, characterizing and classifying alloreactive antibodies by flow cytometry identifies high-risk donor and recipient combinations with greater precision. Second, the ability to detect subtle changes in the cellular components of the immune system cytometrically may facilitate the differential diagnosis of rejection, infection, and iatrogenic toxicity. Finally, the ease with which flow cytometry determines the adequacy or inadequacy of immunosuppressive therapy through T cell receptor analyses serves to maximize the beneficial effects of engraftment.