Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026
Database-guided Flow-cytometry for Evaluation of Bone Marrow Myeloid Cell Maturation
Published on: November 3, 2018
Flow-cytometric immunophenotyping of normal and malignant lymphocytes
Tomasz Szczepański1, Vincent H J van der Velden, Jacques J M van Dongen
1Department of Immunology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
Flow-cytometric immunophenotyping is now a routine diagnostic tool for identifying lymphocyte subpopulations in blood and lymphoid organs. This method aids in diagnosing hematological and immunological disorders and detecting minimal residual disease in leukemia and lymphoma.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Immunology
- Hematology
- Laboratory Diagnostics
Background:
- Flow-cytometric immunophenotyping has transitioned from a research tool to a standard diagnostic test over the last 20 years.
- Comprehensive data on lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood of healthy individuals are now available, including age-related reference values.
- Information on lymphocyte populations in other lymphoid organs is also emerging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the evolution and current applications of flow-cytometric immunophenotyping in clinical diagnostics.
- To emphasize its role in diagnosing hematological and immunological disorders.
- To showcase its utility in classifying leukemias and lymphomas, and detecting minimal residual disease.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing multiparameter flow cytometry for detailed analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations.
- Establishing age-related reference values for lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood.
- Applying flow cytometry to analyze samples from various lymphoid organs.
Main Results:
- Established detailed age-related reference values for lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood.
- Provided reference data for lymphocyte populations in bone marrow, lymph nodes, tonsils, thymus, and spleen.
- Demonstrated the capability of multiparameter flow cytometry to reliably detect minimal residual disease in leukemia and lymphoma.
Conclusions:
- Flow-cytometric immunophenotyping is a crucial tool for diagnosing hematological and immunological conditions.
- It is fundamental for the classification of leukemias and the diagnostic work-up of lymphomas.
- Multiparameter flow cytometry enables routine and reliable detection of minimal residual disease.
Abstract:
During the past two decades, flow-cytometric immunophenotyping of lymphocytes has evolved from a research technique into a routine laboratory diagnostic test. Extensive studies in healthy individuals resulted in detailed age-related reference values for different lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood. This is an important tool for the diagnosis of hematological and immunological disorders. Similar, albeit less detailed, information is now available for other lymphoid organs, e.g., normal bone marrow, lymph nodes, tonsils, thymus and spleen. Flow-cytometric immunophenotyping forms the basis of modern classification of acute and chronic leukemias and is increasingly applied for initial diagnostic work-up of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Finally, with multiparameter flow cytometry, it is now possible to identify routinely and reliably low numbers of leukemia and lymphoma cells (minimal residual disease).
