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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Polarization of M1 and M2 Human Monocyte-Derived Cells and Analysis with Flow Cytometry upon Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection
Published on: September 18, 2020
How flow cytometry is changing the study of TB immunology and clinical diagnosis
Stephan Fuhrmann1, Mathias Streitz, Florian Kern
1Division of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex Campus, Brighton BN19PS, United Kingdom.
Insights
Flow cytometry is revolutionizing tuberculosis (TB) research, from diagnostics to immunology. This powerful tool is crucial for assessing vaccine effects and understanding T-cell responses, advancing TB management globally.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Tuberculosis (TB) research relies heavily on understanding cellular immune responses.
- Flow cytometry offers advanced capabilities for analyzing these complex responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the impact and potential of flow cytometry in tuberculosis research.
- To emphasize its role in diagnostics, immunology, and vaccine development for TB.
Main Methods:
- Application of polychromatic flow cytometry for analyzing T-cell responses.
- Profiling immune cell populations and functions related to TB.
Main Results:
- Flow cytometry significantly advances TB diagnostics and immunological studies.
- Encouraging results observed in using flow cytometry for assessing vaccine efficacy.
- Development of new diagnostic tests is a potential outcome of T-cell response profiling.
Conclusions:
- Flow cytometry is an indispensable and flexible tool for diverse TB research questions.
- Increasing availability of flow cytometers will transform TB research and patient management, even in resource-limited settings.
Abstract:
The application of flow cytometry has hugely advanced the field of tuberculosis (TB) across all areas of research ranging from diagnostic tests to understanding the underlying immunology. As cellular responses are understood to be the mainstay of the immune response in the control of TB it is very likely that polychromatic flow will become the tool of choice for assessing the effects of vaccination. Results are particularly encouraging in this area. The development of a new type of diagnostic test, a prototype of which has been reported, may be the spin-off of a broad and systematic approach to understanding and profiling the T-cell response to TB. It is obvious that flow cytometry will not be able to address all research questions in the field of TB. However, its enormous flexibility as a technology will make it the tool of choice in many situations. An ever increasing availability of flow cytometers, even in resource-poor countries, will rapidly change the face of TB research and management in the years ahead.
